Chapter 4

At 4:00 am, I opened my eyes.

Under the moonlight shining outside, I slung my black canvas bag over my shoulder. Then, I quietly opened the bedroom door.

The living room was pitch-black, except for the faint green light blinking on the router.

I kept my footsteps light as I made my way to the entryway. I slipped on my worn-out, faded sneakers. With my hand on the doorknob, I turned back and took one last look at the home I had lived in for 18 years.

Jonathan's leftover supper from the night before was still sitting on the coffee table. Jasmine's new dress was tossed on the couch. Everything was just as it always was.

I pressed down on the handle, opened the door, and closed it behind me.

The streets were quiet at that hour. I walked to the bus stop at the end of the street and caught the first bus to the train station. The bus was empty.

I leaned against the window, watching the streetlights pass one by one.

My phone buzzed. It was a message Mom had sent in the family group chat at 11:00 pm the night before.

"Tomorrow morning, I'm going to your aunt's place to visit family. Josh, get up early and make breakfast."

I didn't reply. I simply powered off my phone and shoved it into the deepest corner of my bag.

By the time I reached the train station, a group of young people carrying bags like mine had already gathered in the waiting hall. The group leader was checking names against a list.

"Joshua Hayes?"

"Here."

"Get on the train. It's a long journey. Get some rest."

I nodded, got my ticket checked, and boarded the train.

The train slowly pulled away with a deep rumble. The city outside the window gradually blurred into the distance.

At 8:00 am, in the Hayes residence, Mom yawned as she came out of the master bedroom and glanced at the empty dining table.

"Josh? Josh!" she called twice, but no one answered. She walked to my bedroom and shoved the door open. "You little brat. What time is it? You still haven't made breakfast—"

Her voice abruptly cut off.

The room was completely empty. Right in the center of the desk sat my acceptance letter, all alone. My house keys were placed on top of it.

Mom froze. "Honey! Honey, come here!"

Dad threw on his jacket as he walked over, brows furrowed. "What are you yelling about this early in the morning?"

"Look!" Mom pointed at the keys on the desk.

Dad walked over and picked up the keys and acceptance letter. "What is this kid up to? Why would he leave his acceptance letter here?"

Jonathan stumbled out of his room, his hair messy. "Is breakfast ready? I'm starving."

"Your brother is gone," Dad said grimly.

"Eh, he probably went to work at the restaurant. Didn't he say today was his first day?" Jonathan couldn't care less.

"Then why did he leave his keys behind?" Mom still felt that something was wrong.

"He probably forgot. You know what he's like. He's always losing things and forgetting where he puts them." Jonathan yawned and went to the fridge to find something to eat.

Dad tossed the keys onto the table and said, "Forget about him. He's a grown man. It's not like he can just disappear."

That night, Jonathan hurried home. "Mom, Dad, where's our household registration? My loan has to be approved today. They need to see the original document."

Mom wiped her hands on her apron. "It's in the drawer in the master bedroom. Go get it yourself."

Jonathan rushed into the master bedroom and pulled out the document. As he walked back out, he flipped through the pages.

First page—Dad. Second page—Mom. Third page—himself. Fourth page—Joshua.

Jonathan suddenly stopped in the middle of the living room. He stared at the page bearing my name.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get it done." Dad urged Jonathan when he saw him not moving.

Jonathan looked up, his face turning pale. He handed the papers to Dad. "Dad… Look at Josh's page."

Dad took the document, confused, and his eyes fell on the page. In the upper-right corner of the page were the bright red words "Transferred Out."