Presona

I told her, "That is my mother, the last memory I have of her." Her eyes widened, and she began to speak in a weirdly funny manner. "Mother? No way! She looks younger than me. What an amazing woman she must have been."

We continued to move around the apartment

Chapter 5 - Presona

Sister was visibly surprised when she glanced around the room—a room that seemed utterly empty, even with the light on. The emptiness within it was like a suffocating, dark shroud. She lowered her head, her gaze fixed on her right palm. I watched her, ready to say something, but she interrupted me.

"Tell me, Yash, for how long have you been alone?" She was still focused on her hand.

"Since I was six," I replied, and Seon, with his back turned to me, remained silent.

Sister approached me slowly, dressed in a soft pink and black sweater. She drew me into a tight hug, her warmth enveloping me. In that moment, I thought, "It's so warm. I just want to sleep like this." These thoughts remained unspoken in my mind.

If something could have reminded me of my past...

She whispered, "How could someone of your age live like this?" I replied, "HAHAHAH... It was quite fun to me. Oh, I forgot, do you want some water?" Sister sat down, and Seon was fixated on my mom's photo as if he despised her. Hate my mom? While filling the glasses with water, I glanced towards Sister. Unbelievably, she was glaring at me, and I could see the pain in her eyes from where I stood.

I walked towards Sister to give her a glass of water. "Here, Sister, take this glass." She thanked me, and then I gave the other glass to Seon, who took it. When I went to sit in front of Sister and looked at her face, she was forcing her eyes not to shed a tear, but I could see her eyes wavering. "Sister, believe me, I am enjoying my life to the fullest. Though the job is a separate part of life, I know I begged you to give me a job. Besides that, I am happy." She removed her glass, put it on the floor, and then said, "Can I sleep at your home tonight?"

I exclaimed, "Huh?" Seon looked at her, and Sister, looking back at him, was like they understood each other without saying a word. He broke the glass I gave him, shattered it on the floor, and left the house. I tried to call his name, but he didn't stop. "Sister, what happened?" She replied, "It's nothing. He might be angry, that's all. I know him!"

I stood up and said, "I gotta clean the floor." Before passing by her, she held my hand tightly. Looking at her, she said, "Don't worry, close the light and let's sleep!" I tried to argue, "But, Sister... Okay, as you say." Then I cleaned the blanket for her and asked her to sleep on it. She asked, "Where will you sleep? There is only one bed." I replied, "I would sleep on the floor." She didn't say a word and went to the bed.

Then, I turned off the light and lay down on the floor. After a few minutes, I fell asleep, but I woke up. I didn't open my eyes, but I knew Sister was holding me in her arms. She put me on the bed, and then she went to pick up those shattered glasses. I was trying to look without getting caught that I was awake.

While picking up those glasses, she started to cry, and her tears fell on the floor. She closed her hands while holding those broken glasses, and blood started to drop. Then she went in front of my mom's photo, opened her arms with blood, and kept crying.

"Teacher, I am sorry. After looking at your image here, I remember the promise I kept with you, that I will always keep your kid safe when I grew up." A past memory appeared in front of her. "I can't believe that one day you disappeared, and I never saw you again. And here, I found your kid struggling like this. Teacher, why did you leave your kid like this? Why?" Then she came near me, dropped down on her knees, her hands all in blood, and bowed her head down.

"I am sorry, Yash, when you needed me the most, you were struggling like this. Please forgive Rahi." Then she went to throw the glasses, washed her hands, and washed her face so no one could tell that she was crying. After that, she went to the corner of the room with the picture of my mom in her hands, hugged that image, and sat down hugging it. Time passed, and before it was morning, she placed the photo where it was and left the house.

I whispered looking at the roof, "Teacher, huh?" Then I fell asleep. When I woke up today, I didn't go to school. I went to the store; Seon was there. He didn't go to school. I asked him, "When will Rahi Sister come?" He replied, glaring at me, "She might not come today."

"Oh, I see. Well, let's get to work." Seon told me to change the old products with the brand new ones, and I started doing as he said. It was 2 PM, Seon left the store, and I was still there. "Would Rahi Sister come?" Glimpses of last night came into my mind, and I started crying on the counter. Rahi Sister then came and saw me crying. She shouted in panic, "Yash! What happened?"

She ran towards me in packing Hugged me " What happened , dear " I keep crying and start to speak " Sister ... Sister ." She asked holding me more tightly " Yes dear what it is " I said ....

To be Continued 

Next Chapter 6 - Presona 2