12
I didn’t let Lewis follow me on the way to see
my parents.
It seemed better to face it alone.
When I got to the lounge, the door was open
a crack.
<
a crack.
I could see Mom and Dad sitting on the
couch, smiling at their adopted daughter who
seemed to have just walked in.
“Are you happy, honey?”
Madison turned her head, glanced through
the door, and paused.
Then she hugged Mom’s neck.
“Happy~ So happy, thank you, Mom and
Dad~”
Dad was stunned. “What’s wrong? You don’t
seem happy.”
Madison pouted.
“I was just thinking about how I had a sister
before me.”
“I’m so happy that Mom and Dad love me, but
I’m afraid that my sister will come back and
not like me.”
“Then I’ll have to leave…”
“That’s not gonna happen!”
<
Mom frowned. “She’s nothing compared to
you!”
I gripped the flowers tighter.
Madison glanced at the door and grinned.
“Really, Mom? If my sister doesn’t like me, I’m
willing to leave on my own, after all…”
She sniffled. “My sister is family with Mom
and Dad…”
“Silly girl.”
Dad put his arm around her shoulder.
“You need to know that the moment you
walked into this house and changed your
name to Madison, you became a part of this
family.”
“As for your sister, she’s just a good–for-
nothing kid. Your mother and I never thought
of letting her come back.”
“You’re the only princess in this family.”
Madison smiled at the door.
“What if my sister escapes back on her own?”
く
“Then we’ll send her back.”
Mom said coldly.
“We don’t need an ungrateful daughter in our
family.”
I turned and left.
But as I walked to the corner, I was pushed
unexpectedly.
Madison’s friends were standing in front of
me again, looking down at me.
“I knew someone would come here looking for
someone. It’s a good thing Madison.
recognized you.”
“So you’re the ungrateful daughter.”
I was pushed to the ground.
“I’m telling you, this family doesn’t need you.
Get out now! Or we’ll beat you to death!”
I smiled blankly.
“Okay, beat me to death.”
The girl in the lead got angry.
“You dare to provoke me! Hit her!”
く
and countless punches and kicks landed on
- me.
“Does it hurt? If it does, never come back.
This is Madison’s house! Those are Madison’s
parents!”
“If you dare to come back and ruin Madison’s
family, we’ll do more than just beat you up!”
I symbolically protected my head.
But I felt numb and thought I didn’t need to
hide.
I had been living a muddled life.
I wanted to die, didn’t I?
If so, why not just let them beat me to death?
“What’s going on? Stop it!”
A familiar voice came.
I suddenly opened my eyes.
I turned my head, and Mom and Dad were
rushing toward me.
I don’t know where I got the strength, but I
pushed away the girl who was choking me,
<
and said, trembling.
“Dad, Mom…”
The two people who were rushing over
stopped.
“Is that you?”
