Chapter 2

Not long after, the school sent out a notice about our high school graduation.

Our homeroom teacher, Ms. Payne, asked everyone to submit a video of their parents offering their well-wishes. Ideally, parents were also expected to attend the ceremony in person.

I took a screenshot of the notice and sent it to my mother.

Winry: [My high school graduation is coming up. They need a video message from a parent, and we're supposed to wear commemorative medals at the event.]

Two hours later, she replied.

Mom: [I have a performance review at work. I can't make it. It's just a formality anyway. Don't take it too seriously.]

I sent my brother another message.

Winry: [Hey, can you come? It'll only be for half a day.]

His reply came almost immediately.

Aldon: [If only you put this much effort into your studies. Stop making the whole family go out of our way for these things.]

I stared at both messages, then replied simply.

Winry: [Okay.]

When Ms. Payne collected the attendance list, she looked up at me and asked, "Winry, your parents can't make it either?"

I nodded and replied, "They're both busy."

She fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a softer tone. "Then I'll pin the medal on you myself."

I lowered my head. "Thank you, Ms. Payne."

…

On the day of the graduation ceremony, the auditorium was packed with parents.

Students walked arm in arm with their mothers and fathers. The whole place was filled with laughter and warmth. Everywhere I looked, families were beaming at one another.

I stood at the very end of the line, a bare patch of uniform over my chest.

Lucille's parents did not come either, yet she wore a brand-new dress, its hem adorned with tiny pearls.

She took my hand and whispered, "Winry, do you like it? My godmother sent it to me."

I glanced at her dress and gave a small nod. "It's beautiful."

Her eyes lit up. "My brother recorded a video for me, too, but he said he didn't want to show his face in case my classmates spread it around."

She held out her phone, but I did not take it.

The auditorium lights dimmed, and the giant screen flickered to life as the congratulatory videos began to play.

When it was Lucille's turn, the entire room fell silent for a moment.

Onscreen, a woman sat by a window, her face shown only in profile. Only part of her face and her wrist were visible.

I recognized the jade bangle immediately. Mom had worn it for years.

"Happy eighteenth birthday, Lucille. You've always been such a sweet girl. Whether you decide to study communications or design, I'll always support you."

The screen switched to another video. A man sat with his back to the camera, his left hand resting on the back of a chair.

A faint scar crossed the webbing between his thumb and index finger. Aldon had gotten it playing basketball in his senior year of high school.

"Lucille, you're all grown up now, but you don't have to face everything alone. If anyone gives you a hard time, just come to me. I've always got your back."

Whispers of envy rippled through the auditorium.

"Lucille has the best life ever."

"Her brother's voice is so nice."

"Oh my, a real-life fairy godmother!"

With tears in her eyes, Lucille rose to her feet. The applause that greeted her was thunderous.

I lowered my gaze to my chest. All I could see was the plain fabric of my school uniform. The emptiness there ached.

At last, Ms. Payne came over to me. She held a commemorative medal in one hand and offered me a bouquet with the other.

"Welcome to adulthood, Winry!"

I fought back tears, my voice catching in my throat. "Thank you, Ms. Payne."

As she pinned the medal to my uniform, her eyes grew red, too. "Make sure you take better care of yourself, okay?"

I said nothing. I was afraid that my voice would crack if I said a single word.

After the ceremony ended, a torrential downpour began.

I had only just recovered from my fever, and my jacket was far too thin for the weather. By the time I reached the school gates, my fingers had already gone numb from the cold.

The bus stop was still a fair distance away.

I sent my brother a message.

Winry: [Hey, the rain's really bad. Can you pick me up if you're passing by?]

A long time later, he finally replied.

Aldon: [I'm out of town. Take the bus yourself.]

I slipped my phone into my pocket and headed for the bus stop.

Just as I reached the side gate, a black sedan pulled out of the school grounds. Its window was slightly open.

Lucille sat in the passenger seat, cradling a thermos. She said with a smile, "Aldon, the pear tea your mother made me is so sweet."

Aldon got out to hold an umbrella over her. The rain soaked his shoulder, but he tilted the umbrella toward her to keep her dry.

"Watch your step. Don't walk through the puddles."

Lucille looked up at him. "Didn't you say you were out of town today?"

He smiled and replied, "I wanted to surprise you."

I stood motionless in the rain, staring down at my chat with him, unable to find a single word to say.

I got home and flopped onto the sofa, exhausted. I left a small wet patch on it where I sat.

Mom had just walked through the door. The moment she saw it, her expression darkened.

"Winry, what's wrong with you? You just recovered from a fever, and now you've gone and soaked yourself in the rain. Do you have any idea how much trouble it'll be to wash the sofa cushions?"

I replied, "It was raining really hard."

She tossed a tissue box at me. "Clean it up. You're always making people worry about you."

That night, my fever returned. My head felt unbearably heavy, and my throat hurt so much I could barely speak.

I woke in the middle of the night to the sound of Mom taking a phone call in the kitchen.

She kept her voice low, but I could still hear every word. "Lucille, did you get caught in the rain? Was the pear tea sweet enough? I'll bring you another batch tomorrow."

I lay there with my eyes open, staring at the sliver of light beneath my bedroom door.

When morning came, only a lukewarm glass of water sat beside my bed. I drank it, then reached for my phone.

Under my emergency contacts, Mom was listed first and Aldon second.

I deleted them one by one. When the confirmation prompt appeared on the screen, I tapped 'confirm'.