Chapter 2

My room belonged to Seth now, so I could only stay in the tiny attic.

Sunlight didn't shine into the attic, and the window faced a wall.

At dinner, Dad meticulously sliced a piece of steak into bite-sized chunks and peeled the shrimps before placing them on Seth's plate. He looked up and glanced at me before saying, "Help yourself, Kevin. You can have whatever you want."

I lost my appetite when I realized that the dishes on the table were all of Seth's favorites.

I became slightly jealous of Seth, but what I really felt was envy. He had gained Mom's and Dad's affection without even needing to lift a finger.

Dad would stand next to him and smile when he played the piano, flipping the pages of the score for him.

When he came across a difficult question, Mom would drop what she was doing and patiently explain the solution to him.

Meanwhile, I lived as if I was walking on eggshells.

I didn't dare to make a sound while chewing my food. I would also adjust the volume to the lowest level when I was watching television.

I did everything that I could to be as quiet as possible, wanting to be accepted into the family again. But I realized that my efforts were futile no matter how hard I tried.

When Seth was practicing the cello in the living room, he hurled his bow to the floor in frustration when he couldn't play the song right after dozens of tries.

Instead of admonishing him, Dad gently comforted him.

I had just walked out of the kitchen, carrying a glass of water, when I accidentally tripped over my feet. The glass slipped from my grip, shattering into a million pieces on the floor.

The sharp sounds of breaking glass cut through the silence in the house.

Dad's expression twisted immediately. He pressed his fingers to his temple and let out a pained groan. "My head… It's starting to hurt again…"

Mom rushed into the living room. She shoved me aside and frantically supported Dad.

"What is wrong with you?" she snapped at me. "Why can't you just behave yourself? Do you have to make such a ruckus?"

The look in her eyes was identical to the way she looked at me when they sent me away at seven years old—cold and disdainful.

I felt unbearably cold when I saw the corners of Seth's lips curl up into a smile as he leaned against Dad's embrace.

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain that I hadn't broken the glass on purpose.

However, Seth beat me to it. His voice was thick with tears when he blubbered, "Did I disturb you when I was playing the cello, Kevin? Is that why you intentionally broke the glass to scare me?"

I looked at him in shock. I couldn't believe that a seven-year-old like Seth could twist the truth without so much as flinching.

"I didn't!" I exclaimed.

"How dare you try to deny the truth?" Mom roared. "Seth's so well-behaved. He would never lie! You must be too used to misbehaving during your time in the countryside. You have no manners at all! Go to your room! You're not allowed to come out without my permission!"

Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn't say a single word to defend myself.

Mom had no idea that my time in the countryside had been the happiest days of my life.

Grandpa was nothing like Mom and Dad. He never complained about me being too noisy. He was always smiling when he watched me chase chickens and play with dogs in the garden, saying, "You're a young boy. Making a little noise just proves that you're healthy."

He would listen to my imaginative ramblings as he prepared steaming-hot baked potatoes for me. "You've got an active imagination, Kevin. You're definitely going to grow up to be someone impressive."

My time in the countryside made me feel like I wasn't a mistake for the first time in my life. However, there were also times when I missed Mom and Dad.

A year passed, but they still didn't take me home. I couldn't help myself and called them.

Mom sounded like she was very far away over the phone. "Be good, Kevin. Your father hasn't fully recovered from his illness yet. You'll have to wait another year."

They still didn't take me home even after six years had passed.

Dad was the one who picked up the phone that time. He sounded healthy, and his words were laced with gentleness. However, he wasn't speaking to me.

"Slow down, Seth. Be careful not to fall."

He then addressed me in a rush, asking, "Can you just… wait for a while more, Kevin? Okay?"

I stopped asking why.

I also stopped counting the days.