Five years had passed since the days of childhood laughter — when Tang Xan, Tang Wing, and Lian Hua
spent their afternoons chasing fireflies and making promises under the fading sun. Now, at seventeen, their
paths had led them to the same high school, though life was no longer as simple as it once was.
It was the beginning of summer vacation. Tang Xan had gone away for a week or two with his family,
leaving Tang Wing and Lian Hua behind in the quiet city. One afternoon, Tang Wing decided to joke with
Lian Hua. He teasingly mentioned another boy's name, pretending that she liked someone else. He thought
she would laugh — that she'd know it was only a joke.
But she didn't.
Later, when school ended, Lian Hua went home and told her mother everything that had happened. Tang
Wing, passing by, overheard part of the conversation. His heart sank. She told her mother… about me?
The next morning, as Tang Wing's father drove him to school, Lian Hua's mother met them in the parking
area. Her voice was sharp, filled with anger. "She should be careful with what your son says to my daughter,"
she scolded.
Tang Wing's father turned cold. His face hardened, and his silence was more terrifying than any words. Tang
Wing's hands trembled as he stepped out of the car. Then, as if fate wanted to break him further, Lian Hua
appeared — her eyes wide, voice shaking.
"I… I didn't say anything to my mom," she said quickly.
But it was too late. Tang Wing's world had already begun to crumble.
That evening, his father confronted him. "You embarrassed our family," his father said. "I expected better
from you."
The boy tried to explain, but his father didn't listen. The disappointment in his eyes turned into anger. Inside
the car, the first slap came — sharp and echoing. At home, it turned into shouting, into pain. Tang Wing's
heart twisted with anger, sadness, and confusion.
He didn't hate his father… but something inside him was breaking.
The next day, Tang Xan returned from his trip, unaware of what had happened. Lian Hua smiled when she
saw him — she had always felt safe around him. But Tang Xan avoided her gently, laughing off her warmth.
He never wanted a girlfriend. He never wanted anything that might hurt the bond between friends.
That night, Tang Wing stood by his window. His body still ached, but the pain in his chest was worse.
1
"I didn't do anything wrong…" he whispered. "So why does it hurt so much?"
Without another thought, he opened the window. The wind brushed against his face as he stepped onto the
ledge.
And then — he jumped, disappearing into the night.
The house behind him fell silent, but in that silence, the first crack in his heart had formed. The boy who
once laughed under the summer sky was gone — and the path toward darkness had begun.
— End of Chapter 1