Chapter 43

When I was five years old, Mom bought some fish back home and kept a few lively ones in the tank. A scrawny young boy and I lay near the tank and happily watched the fish swim about. We wanted to raise them and then release them into the ocean.

When I was seven years old, I got really into movies depicting powerful skilled female warriors riding on horses, roaming the world, and exacting justice with a sword in hand. So, I started practicing martial arts, wanting to become a famous, righteous Robin Hood–like vigilante.

But I ended up falling from a fence and hurting my kneecap. I wailed painfully on the ground.

Felix’s brother, Colin, consoled me with a lollipop. He said, Warriors never cry.”

I looked up at him and asked, “Do warriors eat lollipops, then?”

Colin thought about it for a moment before nodding. “They do. Warriors love lollipops.”

When I was ten years old, I skipped a grade. All my classmates called me a freak, someone who was more capable than them, even though I was younger. They gossiped about me behind my back, yet no

one wanted to play with me.

I sat on the field with my bag on my shoulders, crying. A young teen I had never seen before came up by my side and handed me an exquisitely boxed cake. “You’ll only have more energy to cry once you finish

luck to

eating the cake but forgot

of an eye. Three hooligans

allowance.

already. I shook my head, one hand clutching my

give

at me, a teen appeared out of nowhere and came

He said to hurry up and run if I didn’t want to get

off, the teen carried me home on

actually be a princess.

dress and brought all 999 paper stars I folded by hand to Aunt Mel’s house. It was Felix’s

the way to the school, yet I was never able to catch up. I asked him to wait for me, but he only said

on. Even in dreams, Felix was still able to wound

wanted to cry.

had been home. It had

with him. I didn’t know how much Colin had changed. Was he still the boy who would give me sweets and cakes when I was

one another on holidays

the only source

ahead. I soon got lost in it, unable to remember where I wanted to

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