Many days have passed since that day, and summer vacation was about to begin in a few days.
So-mang, Hao Xian, and the young boy were walking together after having left Takehiko and his family's house a while ago.
They all made it to a neighborhood playground and were now sitting down on the benches together.
"Did she have to be strict with me, though?" The young boy asked them, remembering the events that happened that day when those three caught them and began making them do more practice questions, justifying that they would not allow the four of them to be complete idiots.
"I mean, you lied to her and slacked off lately, also, you seem to have been getting more closed off," Hao Xian replied to him, wanting to blame him for dragging him to another harsh group lecture courtesy of Emiko-nee and Riko-nee, but he denied outright saying it as he acknowledge it being wrong to think of.
"Fine, that is fair," The young boy commented, understanding just a little bit about her concern for him, and yet he did not believe that people outside his family would care about him like this. It surprised him.
It has been one whole week since he last saw them and had this conversation, and during that one week of summer vacation, he spent his whole time alone at home. He began to forget to hang out with them, as he was so used to just staying home every day.
Takehiko: "Hey, dude, you going to let us in or what!"
Hao Xian: "Come on, we haven't seen you all week!"
"What do you all want? How did you find my house? Why are you guys here?"
The young boy was drowsy and standing in front of his house, confronting his best friends, well, two since his other friend was not present at the moment.
"Why are you confused? I thought we all decided on going to Hao Xian's house starting last week?!" So-mang yelled out
"Huh," the young boy exclaimed.
The young boy deep down did not know how to make excuses, and even if they did, it would make this situation even worse.
The young boy let out a response, stuttering with the same shaky voice he had during the first week.....he felt the tightness of his throat begin to bother him and a knot in his stomach began to be slowly and continuously tied.
He did not understand the bothersome feelings and did not know how to express them, so he came up with a half-truth.
The young boy thought back to earlier that day when his mother came into the room with a concern.
"You keep staying at home every day and not hanging out with these boys for a while, and your friends thought that too, and their parents called me saying you do not hang out with them anymore," Mom sounded upset.
"Sorry..." The young boy felt so apologetic for making his mother so worried for him.
"Is there anything wrong that is happening to you?" The look on his mother's face made the young boy feel a strong sense of pain in his heart and mind.
The young boy, without realizing or having a sense of shame, responded with a...
"Nothing is wrong, Mom....."
Deep down in his heart, the young boy lied because the look in his mom's expression was scary....it was not of rage or disappointment, but was out of worry for him.
The weight of his mother's concern pressed down on him like a heavy blanket, which made him feel like crying because of his mother's tone that matched her looks.
He did not want to make his mother so mournful, unhappy, and heartbroken, as it was very wrong to do, and to the young boy, she was the same mother that embraced him and comforted him often throughout everything that happened during his whole life since he was young.
His mother was so caring and amazing.
She is so strong, funny, and helpful that the young boy could not help but have a huge sense of trust in her judgment and preferences for him.
The young boy was weak against his mother's worries, and he could not disobey his mother because of how much he treasures her, alongside his dad, in his life.
His mother looked on at him with a sense of worry and concern, which the young boy wanted to remove, believing that if he just kept on being nice and following her no matter what, this could help her feel reassured and calm.
The young boy did not think this in his mind, but his body had this instinct to go along with what she said, no matter what.
"Listen to me, son, you've got to hang out with those friends of yours...okay.....and if you have any secrets, do not keep them from me, okay." his mother's voice was determined as she wanted him to not remain a loner and friendless his whole life.
"Okay, Mom, I will do my best no matter what, hehehe."
The young boy answered as confidently as he could, not at all noticing that his words, which were coming out of his mouth, were a lie, that neither the mother nor the boy noticed or understood.
The young boy did not want to worry his mother ohhh so much, he refused to, making her sad makes him want to cry...makes him a failure....makes him such a worthless being.
It would have been easier and better if both of them had realized the truth behind the lie.
"Hey, dude, why are you spacing out for?" Hao Xian exclaimed, feeling confused by the young boy staring into space.
He snapped out of his thoughts, finding himself walking with Hao Xian and So-Mang, who seemed to be worried about him, their earlier anger replaced by concern for their friend.
"So, where are we going, guys?"
The young boy asked both So-mang and Hao Xian, feeling really bored from walking.
So-mang: "We are heading for Hao Xian's house."
Hao Xian: "Yup, just like we planned, dude."
They walked for a few minutes towards the house of Hao Xian.
The young boy was starting to feel impatient, and his feet were hurting.
So-mang wanted to complain as well, however, he wanted to avoid the same horrible situation with Hao Xian happening again.
Hao Xian's house was surprisingly just a short walk, so they did not need a car to get to his place, which made the young boy and So-mang feel annoyed by it.
They arrived at the house, and the young boy was impressed by the structure and style of his house.
Hao Xian's house for the young boy was similar to Takehiko's house, with many rooms and different furniture.
He could not understand the beauty or the art of interior design, so the only thing he would notice when visiting other people's houses was how similar rooms are and the random furniture present that seemed to always be there to complete a certain purpose, as if it was essential to have one.
The young boy wondered if the furniture in the room was there to fulfil some aesthetic or design purpose.
"Ohhh, so this is the new friend you were talking about, huh, Hao Xian?"
There stood a woman who looked to be a mother based on her height and the motherly aura she was emitting.
"Okay, dude, this is my..."
She was apparently Hao Xian's mother, who seemed to be in her mid thirties having a pony tail, with a ponytail, glasses, and wearing an apron on her.
"What would you boys like to eat for lunch today?" Hao Xian's mother asked them, looking happy, to make them something special.
Hao Xian: "Sure thing, Mom.....come on, So-Mang, let's eat."
So-Mang "Okay, come on, dude, let's go, then we can go swimming later."
"Okay.....wait, huh, swimming where?" The young boy was caught off guard by this new revelation.
"It was supposed to be a surprise for you. Now come on, hurry up and finish your food, I am so excited to be swimming and trying out my new swimming skills."
"I shall not let you win, Hao Xian."
"Ahhh, So-mang, you had to underestimate me, huh?"
"What did you say?!"
"Hao Xian! So-mang! you both need to calm down! Or else you might get a stomach ache later on, also stop fighting, you two or else we are not going, do I make myself clear, huh!" Hao Xian's mother looked angry, which made the young boy feel a little bit shocked.
"Okay..." Hao Xian replied apologetically and was afraid of losing the opportunity to swim.
"Yes, okay then, Mrs..." So-mang responded, not wanting to make things even worse for himself and everyone else.
"Big brother, why did you have to make mommy so mad, huh?" Hao Xian's sister displayed a look of smugness and disappointment for her big brother's actions.
The young boy smiled, it was a natural one, not forced or fake....a genuine smile that was filled with happiness and excitement as if his worries and nervousness had melted away.
Just then, he remembered something.
"Hey, wait, I did not bring my swimming trunks, you guys," the young boy said, feeling a little bit angry over this and looking like he was about to cry.
"That is okay, I will go to your parents' place and get your stuff," Hao Xian's mother went out, while Hao Xian's younger siblings and father remained with the three boys.
As they all watched her leave, the young boy then turned to Hao Xian.
"Your mother is so kind."
"You think so, hehehe."
"Yeah, compared to me, who is not always home," So-mang suddenly made this comment, which made Hao Xian's father make a hic sound just hearing this.
"Mommy is such a kind person, the best in the world," Hao Xian's younger sister responded to the conversation, while Hao Xian's younger brother was off watching television after finishing his food.
"You know it would be such a shame to make mommy cry, don't you think, Hao Xian, big brother? Hao Xian's younger sister said, and Hao Xian responded with a "Yeah, you are right, little sis."
Hao Xian felt annoyed that his sister was teasing him over what he did.
The younger sister did not have a mother complex, or rather, she was the one who did not want to make her parents more upset.
She sounded mature, but her wording and way of doing things were improper in some way.
As the young boy heard this response, he began to answer with a single, "Yeah..." The young boy seemed to feel a little bit sad over that.
Indeed, it was a shame to make a mother who spent their time doting and caring for their child so sad and upset over their own child, making them strongly concerned about their wrongful actions now.
The young boy could not stop worrying about his mother, wanting not to make her sad nor to worry too much about him.
His mother was someone who was always there for him, who was always at his side, who was always making him feel better and happy every day, as long as he could remember.
Hao Xian's mother returned with the swimming attire, and later they were all in the car heading for their designated place, which was a building where Hao Xian's aunts, uncles, and cousins were staying, which had a large and spacious swimming pool with many decorations that illuminated the pool area so well.
Hao Xian's sister was very correct...making your mother sad and disappointed in you feels like the greatest tragedy known to man.
The young boy continued to sink deeper, not at all realizing at the moment, that he was sinking.