Chapter 19:  Permanent Stain

"No one else can teach me how to love again.
‘Cause you left a permanent stain on my heart and I’ve been feeling it.
Never mind what people say ’cause they don’t understand.
How you left a permanent stain on my heart, you're never leaving it."

“Honey, can we talk?”

“No.”

“Please, I really need to talk to you.”

“If you’re just going to lecture me, then forget it. I’m tired of talking to people who won’t comprehend.”

With a sigh, his aunt entered his room despite him telling her not to enter. Oh well, what difference did it make now? Anyone simply came in his room these days; in the face of him saying no each time they had asked his consent to go in the room.

His aunt came in just as he was looking at an old picture of his mom. Since she was gone too soon, he needed something that could remind him of how she looked, and the photograph was all he had. The memories were far too painful to be kept inside his mind.

“I need to talk to you about something.” His aunt repeated, since she felt like she didn’t get any attention from her nephew.

“You said that already.” The boy said, eyes not moving from the picture. His mother was smiling delightfully in the picture, yet he couldn’t remember whether he’d seen any of those smiles before. All he remembered was tears, bloodshot eyes filled with shadow, and a voice that screamed the whole time.

“I heard about what you’re trying to do.” She said straight away. “And I’m not by the least happy with this.” The boy smirked, and ever so gently kept the photo away. “He must’ve told you.” He said, referring to his friend who came to visit a few days ago. “Why didn’t it surprise me to know that you’re against it too?”

“Anyone would be against it, love.” She said as her voice sounded so desperate to make him see the truth, trying to push some sense inside his head. “This isn’t why we moved to this neighborhood. I thought by moving, we could start anew. I had no idea that you’ve been planning something else.”

The boy sighed and finally gave his aunt the first glance ever since she entered the room. His face was unreadable, and his aunt very much wanted to pull him out of the darkness he’d been drowning himself into. For years, now, he let anger and disappointment corrupt his heart, and clouded his mind.

She’d been trying so many things to help him, but none seemed to be able to take away the rancor that had cemented itself inside his heart.

“Now that you know, it would be best to keep your mouth shut.” He simply said, and tears escaped from his aunt’s eyes. “If I found out by any means that you’ve told anyone about this, well, I wouldn’t even want to say what I’d do.”

“Why are you doing this?” She asked. “Please, it doesn’t have to be this way! Do you need help? I promise you I will help you for as long as you need-”

“I DON’T NEED ANY HELP!” He bellowed, taking his aunt by surprise. “I’m tired of hearing you trying to help me by sending me to places that won’t be of any help whatsoever! Just leave me alone and don’t mind any business that isn’t yours!”

“Your mother wouldn’t want this!” She cried, tears falling rapidly down her cheeks and onto the floor. She’d sacrifice anything just to make the boy see that revenge wasn’t everything. It won’t make the pain he felt disappear by causing harm to others.

“Your mother wouldn’t want you to live your life like this! You have to stop holding on to the past and just focus on your future. Let go of the grudge, love. It’s been so long already. You have to stop living this way.” His aunt pleaded, and she’d go down on her knees if she had to. She’d do anything, as long as her nephew wouldn’t do anything that he’d regret one day.

“My mother?” The boy scoffed. “My mother would want me to do this, I guarantee you. She hated them as much as I do. And for your information, she was ready to end my life while she was ending hers. You know this. I was supposed to be dead with her. But unfortunately, I survived.”

“Don’t say that.” She said, pain layered her words.

“Besides,” the boy continued, ignoring his aunt’s words. “I’m doing this for her, to seek justice. I’m doing this for your sister. You should be supporting me. Your sister died in vain, when she should’ve been receiving all the love she can get while she gave so much. It isn’t fair for her, isn’t it? Don’t you want to see them pay for it?”

“Don’t do it, please.” His aunt begged. “Don’t destroy your life like this. You have so many things await for your future. Don’t destroy them all because of your grudge.”

“Look, I appreciate all that you’ve done for me, but you have to step out of this one. I’m sorry.” He said, before marching towards her and being the stronger one, he pulled his aunt by the arm and forcefully pushed her out of the room. He closed the door right in front of her face and she cried harder as she knocked on the door.

“No! Listen to me! Don’t do this! Don’t hurt yourself anymore! Having a revenge won’t bring your mother back!” She cried, feeling shattered that everything she had done for him had been for naught. For years, she’d cared for him, tried to help him the best she could but nothing could beat the hatred inside his heart.

Nothing she did ever worked. Her nephew gave in to the darkness since long ago and she was afraid that nothing could bring him back. She didn’t know what else she could’ve done to help him.

If only she could turn back the time for him, she would stop all of this from happening. It pained her to see her only sister’s son living this way. After so many years, she’d grown to love him like her own, and she would do just anything for him.

He came to her as a small boy, broken and unloved by his parents and she tried to make it up for him by giving him all the love he needed. Yet she realized that she could never take away the things he saw, all the things he’d heard, and everything he’d learned about his parents ever since he was a child.

And those things, that had caused a great amount of pain to him, were the ones that kept him going. It was revenge that kept him alive, and it broke her heart so badly that he’d lived every single day of his life waiting for the time to make those people pay for his agony.

“Why is there a bicycle here?” YeonAe asked as she pointed to a bicycle in front of her, while looking at TaeHyung who only grinned. “Do you know how to ride a bicycle, YeonAe?” He asked, getting on it while making a few rounds around her.

YeonAe shook her head and crossed her arms. “No, I don’t, and I’m not interested to learn. So why are we here at this park again?”

TaeHyung stopped circling around her and got down from the bike. He sneered as he tipped his head and said, “Well, isn’t it obvious? We’re here to teach you how to ride a bike today.”

YeonAe’s eyes widened as gaped and she furiously shook her head. “No, thank you. I told you that I’m not interested in learning how to ride a bike so no thank you.” She said, stepping away from the bike as if it could affect her with some disease.

TaeHyung sighed and pushed the bicycle closer to her, ignoring what she said. “Come on, YeonAe! It isn’t even that hard! Besides, it would make things easier for you if you can ride a bicycle. You don’t have to walk to school anymore and it would be less tiring for you, not to mention faster too.”

“I prefer walking to school, I like it.” She said, crossing her arms with an eyebrow raised. TaeHyung rolled his eyes and slightly groaned. “Whatever. Look, can you just try it? All kids these days should at least know how to ride a bike. It’s like you’re not exactly human if you don’t know how to ride one.” He nagged, and YeonAe looked at him with a frown.

“That doesn’t really make any sense.” She said.

“It doesn’t matter!”

“Fine! If I give it a go, would you stop badgering me about this?” She grumbled, and TaeHyung immediately threw her a grin when she finally agreed. “As long as you don’t give up if you mess up a few times, I wouldn’t bother you with it anymore. But you have to promise that you’d keep trying.” He said.

YeonAe lightly scoffed and glared at him. “I won’t promise anything. You made me do this.” She said, and carefully got onto the bike and tried to make herself comfortable. She was lucky that it wasn’t too tall for her; otherwise