Sacrifice

Ten, nine, eight... What is your twentieth birthday wish? Same as previous years. Nothing has changed. It has never been realized. Seven, six, five... I didn't have a mother, so I became the target of my father's anger. But I don't want to escape this environment. My brother would always look on with a cold eye, but would gently comfort me afterward. As long as this is the case, I am willing to continue living. I have a reason to stay even if I sacrifice everything. Because my soul is dependent on my brother. Four, three, two... Birthday wishes are for the people and things you desire most, right? All I want is my brother. I hope he will stay with me, at least for this day. Even if it's just for a moment, hoping that his lingering dislike for me will fade away, that's enough. As long as this is the case, I'll be satisfied. I love my brother deeply. 1... I tiptoed towards my brother's room. I hope that when my twentieth birthday comes, I can see my brother for the first time. I peeked through the crack of the half-open door── A bloody red. Dad's body lay in a pool of blood. The brother was holding the knife, and his body was spattered with blood. His expression was distorted, and he showed a strange smile that was close to collapse and madness, but his eyes were full of relief. The smell of blood lingered in the nasal cavity, a nauseatingly real feeling. Zero. The world my soul lived in collapsed. … My body tensed up involuntarily, and I escaped from the house while tiptoeing and stumbling.