[62.5] Cyrus POV: A Rare Light in a Dark Place

[Disclaimer: This chapter includes mention of child neglect, death, suicidality, and violence.]

[Author's note: This chapter is from Cyrus's perspective.]

The memory fragmented just as it had before, this time I suddenly appeared at a new home. I looked around, carefully analyzing every piece of furniture.

This must be her new house.

But… Who is that?

Another girl sat at an older Reika's side pointing at the books in front of them, "See? That's how you do this problem. Make sure to use this equation, not the other one."

Reika nodded, "Ah! I get it now."

She did another problem which the other girl watched over her shoulder. When she finished, the other girl applauded, "You did it! You got it right!"

Reika let out a groan and leaned back in her seat, "Ugh… Thanks for your help. Hopefully, I can remember how to solve this for the test."

She let out a sigh, "I'm so jealous you aren't a scholarship student. You don't have to worry about maintaining a perfect grade. You just have to pass."

Reika gave her a glance out of the corner of her eye but didn't seem to get upset over this comment.

The girl beside her looked around the room, "I didn't think your house would be so small. I thought since you weren't a scholarship student, you would have a big house."

Reika shrugged, "We don't need much, I guess."

"Is it just you in this house? I haven't seen anyone else."

"My father is usually at work and right now my mother… Is probably at the temple."

"Oh? She's religious?"

Reika paused for a moment, then went back to doodling on her notes, "She has been more recently."

"Who is the altar for?"

"Hm?"

"There's an altar in your living room that looks really maintained… However, the frame is facing down so the picture is hidden. Is it-"

"-It's no one." Reika quickly interrupted, then changed the subject, "Thanks again for helping me study. If you ever need help-"

The girl blushed and shook her head, "No! No. I'm doing this because I was hoping we could… Become friends."

Reika paused for a moment before smiling sweetly.

Seeing that expression on her face, I sucked in my breath.

Recently in her memories, she always had such a gloomy look…

I didn't know she could make this kind of a face.

The girl beside her was equally surprised and cleared her throat, "If you don't want to be-"

"-No, I do." Reika spoke quickly and flashed a toothy grin, "It would be great to be your friend."

The girl smiled back in relief, "Wow. You know, if you smiled like that every day, you would be extremely popular."

Reika blushed and pushed back her hair in embarrassment, "I doubt that."

"It's true! You're really beautiful! If you smiled more often, everyone would realize it too!" She let out a dreamy sigh, "I wish I could be as pretty as you. Then maybe I wouldn't get bullied…"

Reika's smile slowly faded, "Those girls bully you too?"

"Oh! They bully everyone! I hate it… They are always calling me names and breaking my glasses! My mom is already working hard just to support me and my siblings… She had to get an extra job just to replace all the glasses I lose because of them…"

"That sounds tough… I'm sorry they do that to you."

She looked at Reika thoughtfully, "But what about you? Don't they… You know… Don't they hit you?"

"Oh… Yeah, I guess they do like to all hit me to vent their frustrations."

Her eyes widened, "How can you be so carefree about it?! They are going too far by doing that! You should tell a teacher!"

"Do you really think that would work? The teachers purposefully ignore their behavior, I doubt they would do anything about it."

"A-Ah… I guess you're right. There was one student who had to transfer because of those girls and the teachers didn't care enough about it then. As long as it is hidden, they won't interfere… But still! You should try something. You're not a scholarship student. They might actually care."

"It's not worth it." She muttered under her breath, "I probably deserve it anyway."

"Hm? What was that?"

Reika raised her head and smiled, "If you say something, it's only going to get worse. Trust me."

The girl shifted in her seat uncomfortably, "Maybe you're right-"

Suddenly the door to the house opened and a middle-aged woman walked in. It was Reika's mother, but she didn't look as young as she did in the first memory. Even though it hadn't been many years, grief aged her quickly.

Reika heard the door open and her face turned pale immediately. She spun around, "M-Mom! You're back already!?"

Her mother ignored her and rushed straight past the two girls, "Baobao! Look! The Shaman gave me beads blessed by a hundred-year-old monk! She said if I pray with these every day, I will be even closer to seeing you! She said I might even be able to hear-wait… Why is your picture covered?!"

Reika's mother rushed over to the frame and flipped it back in the right position, revealing the portrait of Reika's late brother.

"You… I TOLD YOU TO STOP TOUCHING HIS PICTURE!"

Reika panicked when she saw her mother stomping towards her with veins bulging on her forehead. She held out her hands, "Mother, wait. I have a friend over-"

*SLAP*

"DON'T YOU HAVE ANY REMORSE!?!"

*SLAP*

"WAS LETTING HIM DIE NOT ENOUGH FOR HIM!?"

*SLAP*

The girl beside Reika gasped in fear, startling Reika's Mother out of her burst of rage. Her mother realized they had company and shifted in her place anxiously. Glancing back at Reika, she let out a huff to vent her frustrations.

"GREAT! Now you've upset your brother!" She dug her fingers into Reika's arms before shoving her away. Reika fell back against the table, knocking over the chair. She winced from the pain as her mother stared at the picture frame with adoring eyes, "It's okay Baobao! Your mother is here! I will make you feel better… You like those lemon tarts right? L-Let me go buy them for you!"

Without giving the two girls another glance, her mother grabbed her purse and rushed out the door.

I felt as if my mouth tasted sour while I watched her leave.

How can a mother treat her child like that?

Beside Reika, her frightened friend fixed her expression and spoke in a low voice, "Reika… Are you okay?"

Reika looked timidly at her new friend, "Um… Please, please don't tell anyone at school about this."

The small girl with glasses reached out and held her hand, "Don't worry, Reika. I won't tell anyone! I know those girls will just use this to bully you."

Reika let out a sigh of relief before placing her head on the shoulder of the other girl, "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much this means to me… You really are a true friend."

The friend rubbed her head, "You can complain to me if you want. I will always listen."

With one simple sentence, tears burst out of Reika's eyes as she recounted the pain and suffering she had endured over the years.

"My mother has been like that ever since my brother died. All she does is give offerings to him and cry at the altar she made for him. My father has been so involved with work I barely see him anymore… I've been having to take care of everything at home." Reika rubbed her eyes and sat up, "O-Oh… Please don't tell anyone about this. It was bad at my last school. My classmates all looked at me with pity and started treating me differently… I don't want anyone to know here."

Her friend kindly comforted her by rubbing her head, "Don't worry, Reika. Your secret is safe with me."

I let out a sigh of relief as I smiled at the two girls.

At least she had a friend to help her through this terrible time.

Just as soon as I thought that, the ceilings began to drip with a strange liquid. As if everything was melting before my eyes, the memory suddenly changed.