Rebirth Into My Second Chance

Back when I was just a tiny tot, Richard took me by the hand and we lined up to get some beautiful clothes. Then we headed back to our rooms to change and see if they fit.

It was the first time I ever wore a pretty pink princess dress. Struggling with the zipper, I ran out yelling, "Richard, help me with the zipper!"

But Richard was nowhere to be found. Instead, I stumbled upon a boy sitting in the corner, drawing on the ground with a rock.

Wearing a sharp suit, his pale, clean-shaven face was offset by slightly tousled hair, giving him a somewhat sad appearance.

He walked over, zipped up my dress, and then returned to his spot to continue drawing with his rock.

The scene was so out of place with his expensive-looking suit.

He drew a heart, then added a scar across it.

Driven by curiosity, I approached him and asked, "Is your heart unhappy?"

He glanced at me, perhaps amused by my childlike innocence, and merely hummed in response.

Then, I offered him a candy, saying, "Candy can make you happy."

from me, so I stuffed it into his pocket instead. Then, picking up a rock, I drew a doctor holding a scalpel beside his heart and said, "One day, I want to be a heart surgeon so I can cure people with heart problems." A small smile played on his lips, a rare break from his usual indifference.

"Will I see

then the dream

calling 'Mom', hugged me and cried, "From now on, I'm your mom, Claire.

not even ten years old, I didn't fully grasp what she meant. Soon after, lots of reporters came, and then a sour-faced older boy took me by the hand, saying he'd be

my mother from that

later did I learn that my parents

haunted by nightmares of the accident, and it was me who comforted him. Gradually, I grew accustomed

me

of young love, but then his first love

was betrayed and felt

"Don't touch me..."

"Save me..."

"Save my child..."

pain I've ever felt hammered in my head, making me

tightly, whispering, "Wake up and I'll give you candy, and the

to open my eyes to see who it was,