Mara was passionate about psychology, but it was a secret he kept to himself.

  It's not that he didn't show his interest, or he was secretive about it. He expressed it, hinted at it, but people were too caught up in their own world to notice the vulnerable shell, that once opened, being closed again.

  "Once you become a surgeon, I'll be satisfied."

  "Why aren't you old enough?"

  "Just become a surgeon already and bring me money!"

  " You'll give me all your sary, right? Not like your father, right?"

  "Good boy!"

  The words changed, but the message remained the same.

  Mara let things go. He lost interest in worldly things, things that required money. He suppressed his desires, convincing himself that once he grew up and made money, everything would be okay. He didn't realize in the past that he was becoming like his mother.

  When he grew up, he'd do this and that, but then he'd remember he'd have to hand over his sary to his mother. What to do? Go on a trip, eat delicious food, or hand over his money?

  Illogical right?

  Heh, he'd obviously hand it over. A child wanting to see his mother happy. What more could happen if he didn't go on a trip or eat delicious food? Things would remain the same, but his mother would be happy, and his parents wouldn't fight.

  As time went on, Mara became clear-headed, not about who to give money to or where to spend it – he wasn't making money yet – but about what was right and who was right.

  This realization started when his parents became irresponsible in front of him.

  A day before, they'd fought over money in the evening, and in the morning, there was silence. In the afternoon, they'd fought again, pushing the responsibility of picking up Muyang from daycare onto each other.

  Although the technology has developed a lot. You could say that there are millions of government craft and other developed systematic shits . But those are for riches.

  Rich have it all from transport to food to sves. Nowadays society is open-minded and is divided into three..

  Poor and rich and richest.

  So the daycare Muyang was going was a poor, not so developed but clean daycare. Parents need to pick up and drop their children. There are no buses for escort.

  That day Mara took a sick leave and was coming home from school. His face was red, and he was dizzy, but hearing such a childish reason for not picking up their four-year-old was straight bullshit. Mara stood at his parents' room door, seeing his mother sleeping peacefully and his father lying on the couch, scrolling through social media, uncaring about the world.

  He asked them what happened, why Muyang wasn't home yet, and the answer was:

  Mom: "I won't go; ask that bastard to go and bring him. My leg hurts; I'll just sleep."

  Father: "I won't go every time. My motorcycle has no energy; that slut took all the money yesterday. What is she doing now? Breaking the bed by sleeping. Write it down; I'll not go; let that child get kidnapped or lost."

  Mara saw his own past reflected in Muyang's situation. He rushed out to the daycare, wearing a mask to avoid infection.

  That day, the brothers made a promise: wherever the other was, they'd wait for each other and wouldn't go anywhere until the other came.

  Little by little, Mara saw things more clearly.

  The reality hits hard that day when he returned from school to see Muyang sitting on the couch with a white cream smear on his thigh.

  Pus was oozing out, and the skin was shrunk, giving off a foul smell.

  "What happened?!?" Mara asked, his heart clenched as he saw the horrific scar.

  He knelt down on the ground to look closer at the burn.

  But his question was answer with silence. When he look up he saw that his parents were gloomy and Muyang was not crying? Even though he got burn and the burned area was such rge he was not crying instead he was trying to shrink down minimize his presence and preventing his best to gulp down every drop of tear.

  " What happened!?" Mara asked again his voice was hoarse.

  He doesn't want to see himself in his brother. No he won't let it happen.

  But he need to know what happen. Kids can be mischievous too so maybe he is wrong. Let's calm down.

  But this resolve was soon burst into a volcano filled with va as his parents started talking.

  " He went to cook noodles and got himself burnt." This was his mother speaking with a little hurt expression.

  " Got burnt while he was trying to cook noodles? Why would he want to cook noodles where were you all?" Mara asked keep his cool.

  " Huh? If someone will not cook dinner than what would a child do? He was hungry so he went to cook." His father voice note increase with every word he speaks.

  " What do you mean? You refused to bring the chicken so how could I cook. Listen again bastard I'll not cook until you bring chicken meat!"

  " Don't cook don't cook I'll eat outside no i think you should divorce me or just kill me there are other things there in the kitchen too even eggs go cook them. I told you I don't have money for chicken meat! You're irresponsible look what happen your child got himself burnt and I have to buy such expensive medicine for it."

  The other round of fight started.

  Mara look around and saw Muyang silently crying and hiccupping.

  He carrying him into his room closed the door and put a headphone borrowed from Yen on him, and pyed some hip hop music.

  Sad music won't work here.

  Then he opened his bag and took out a packet of soft melon bread from it and hand over to him gesturing him to 'eat it'

  The music was in and Muyang nerves started to calmed down. He look at his brother, took the bread and started to eat it.

  His eyes then started to drip tears like rain.

  Mara whose ear was fine and well can still hear the shouting and cursing from outside.

  He then hug Muyang and patted him till he calmed down.

  That night the brothers again promised that when Muyang is hungry he will come to big brother room and eat the things, big brother will hide, in the cabinet or he will wait for his brother to cook when he comes home.

  That night when Muyang was sleeping in his arms, Mara made a decision

  His sary will all go to Muyang only.

  ...

  To be continued if life remains...

  ....

  A: Ahem.. what more tags do you think would be suitable?..