PHUWIN POV
There are moments in life when you can't help but ask yourself, Why me? Why do I have to be the one to experience these painful things? You might even question if you've been a bad child to your parents.
Losing a parent is an unbearable pain. Burying them is something you never want to face. But do you know what hurts even more for a child?
It's when you have to send your parent to prison and turn your back on them to protect yourself because they've broken you completely. You want to save yourselfânot out of selfishness, but because you need to rebuild yourself for the day you can meet them again, forgive them, and hope that things will be okay between you once more.
But in my situation, I don't know if I can ever forgive my mother, or if I will ever be able to have her in my life again once she's out of prison.
"I will wait for karma to catch up with both you and your brother, Phuwin. I will wait for you to suffer for what you've done to me."
I didn't respond to what my mother said as she walked past me. I just stared directly into her eyes. I still hoped I would see some trace of love for us. I hoped there would still be some chance for me to have a normal family again. But sadly, there was nothing.
The trial for her case is over. After two months, she was sentenced to life imprisonment. It was a sentence I never saw comingâone that shattered the future I had planned for my family.
Your 'gayness' is a sin. You're a sinner, Phuwin. You and Gem. You're an immoral creatureâfilthy, and you don't deserve to live in this world. If we ever meet again, I hope it's in hell. And if that happens, I'll laugh at you. Remember this, both you and Gem: I'll have the last laugh."
I clenched my fist, not out of anger, but from the pain.
Where is the mother who was kind, understanding, affectionate, and always smiling? Where is the mother who raised me, who loved me, who loved me and my sibling?
"Let's go." One of the two police officers holding her said. I didn't know if they were the ones taking her to prison.
Before she left the courtroom, my mother spat in my face. I couldn't hold back the tears. I never expected her to do something like that.
"Don't cry, Phu. She doesn't deserve your tears," Gem said as she hugged me.
I didn't respond. The pain of it all was too much. Losing a father, sending a mother to prison, being humiliated in front of everyone.
We quietly left the courtroom. I was with Pond, Dunk, and their parents. Some of our friends from Gem's side were waiting for us at Pond's house. Dunk's father didn't let them come with us, saying he didn't want them to get involved with the reporters who were waiting outside the courthouse.
I was crushed throughout the entire trial of my mother. It felt as if the court was stripping me bare, judging me slowly because of her. Gem almost attacked the judge when they accused me of being a drug addict with some dark secret, simply because I managed to study abroad. Dunk's father calmly defended us, countering the prosecutor on questions that they couldn't even refute.
After that, we were practically more famous than celebrities. Reporters and detectives followed us, trying to find any dirt on me and my sibling. Even Pond got dragged into it. They dug up his parents' business just because we were staying with them. Dunk's father was a real assetâhe had everything covered. Pond's father, too, was fully prepared. His team was on high alert, stationed everywhereâfrom their house to the university. His influence extended even there, with people watching over us in case anything went wrong.
Even Gem's university wasn't spared from the investigation. Pond's father acted quickly, and the university wasn't even targeted by the investigation. It really is trueâmoney can talk and work miracles.
A month later, everything was cleared up for my sibling and me, and the prosecutor was convicted. He had been involved with my mother all along. No wonder he had been pushing my sibling and me into the pitâhe was actually trying to protect her. What's even more shocking is that he was also one of my mother's lovers.
After that huge revelation in court, we finally learned just how wealthy my mother had become. She owned three houses, one of which was a mansion, a ranch, a golf course that housed many politicians, and a variety of investmentsâhotels, resorts, malls, and restaurants. All of these she acquired through drug dealing. She even had her own marijuana plantation and a small factory that produced candy made from those plants. My mother wasn't just a common drug pusherâshe was one of the biggest drug lords. It's no wonder the entire country had been watching her case so closely. As painful as it is to admit, my mother was one of the major scourges of society.
"Are you okay? Didn't that hurt?" Pond asked, his voice full of concern as we got into the car.
"I'm fine," I replied, then wrapped my arms around him.
I couldn't be more grateful to him and his family. They never abandoned us. Right now, Gem and I are living with them. His parents insisted that we stay with them after my father's funeral. They've treated us like family. Even Fourth is staying with them because of Gem.
"Let's go on a vacation, kitten," Pond suggested.
"Where to?" I asked.
"Where do you want to go?"
I shook my head. "I don't know. Maybe Mars."
Pond and Gemini both laughed at my response.
"You don't want to go to the moon?" Gem teased.
I didn't answer. I just stared out the car window, watching the reporters crowding outside, knocking on the car, begging for an interview. We could barely move because of them.
Where can I go? Where can I escape to?
"You want to go to Japan?" Pond asked. He closed the car window curtain and sighed deeply. He was still shaken by what happened last week when a reporter almost tried to punch him for blocking my way. Despite all the guards trying to stop him, Pond managed to slip past them and get to me and my brother. He's small, so it was easier for him to squeeze through. But Pond was faster than him, and he managed to shield me. The reporter got angry, shoved Pond, and Pond ended up pushing him back. It was instinctive for my boyfriend, and the reporter's fault, but Pond still got hurt. He threatened to sue him, but when Dunk's father intervened, the reporter just stayed quiet and left.
"Okay," I said, closing my eyes.
What else is going to happen? Is there more pain to come? Will I even be able to handle it?
I hope Japan can heal me.