Chapter One: Park Man Se

I stirred for a few seconds before sitting upright. Scratching my head as I yawned with the back of my free hand covering my mouth, I looked at the clock hung on my white bedroom wall. I woke up earlier than usual. I decided it was not worthwhile, trying to get back to sleep. I got up and head to the bathroom. 

The house was peaceful. The constant sound of moving vehicles played in the background. I shut my bedroom door with a click and dragged my feet against the wooden floorboard to the toilet. I yawned again. 

What time did I sleep yesterday? I could not recall immediately, so I let it slipped my mind.

I looked at my parents bedroom out at habit. Wondering if Father had come home yesterday night. My mind was also swimming in the memory of my latest dream. The same dream that I rarely had but I could remember it rather vividly. The details of what I saw and what I heard. I realised I always woken up earlier everytime I had that dream. 

The apartment was very minimal. Nearly everything is white in colour. Apart from the flat screen television which hung on the wall, everything else is plainly white. The sofa, the coffee table, even the window panels were white. The kitchen was modernized with white countertops as well as white cabinets. There were no decorations whatsoever. Having to just moved here a week ago, everything seems almost the same apart from the shape of the house. I still could not understand why we upgraded from a two bedroom house to a three bedroom house and also having the same white minimal thing. Father simply stated we might need an additional bedroom apart from having to change neighbourhood and having the similar design helps Mother. 

I began preparing breakfast for two after washing up. Eating slowly on my own as my eyes kept lingering on a closed bedroom door. Setting my chopstick down, I got up and head towards that door. I knocked for a bit before calling out to Father. A thud on the door signalled he just threw an object at the door indicating he was a awake as he yelled something afterwards. Glad I had prepared some hangover soup, I went back to my seat and finished my first meal of the day. 

It was the first day of high school. I was not expecting anything apart from being a target of a bully. I observed myself from head to toe in front of a full length mirror located on the innerside of my wardrobe door. The uniform fit perfectly. I shut the wardrobe and grab my maroon schoolbag then made my way to put on my shoes. 

I was quite nervous and anxious since I have yet to make any sort of acquaintances in this new state. I hope this time around, nobody would ever find out. I was prepared to not have a single close friend. A close friend where its unavoidable to expose my family situation to.

...

"Appa...U-Umma..." 

Manse wailed as he cried. Seeing that his brothers were bawling and almost too desperately with eyes shut ti