April 23, 2026.
Under a scorching blue sky, Reina sat alone on a park bench. The smoke from passing cars in the distance provided a backdrop to her wandering thoughts. "What if aliens invaded Earth? Would everyone survive?" She muttered to herself, imagining an apocalyptic scenario that only existed on television. "I heard that in theory, a single object traveling at the speed of light could destroy the Earth." A small sigh escaped her. "Ah, what am I thinking?"
Suddenly, a shout broke her reverie. "Reina." A woman's figure was seen sprinting from a distance, heading towards her. Reina turned her head, recognizing it as Yura. Yura looked out of breath, her plaid blazer slightly disheveled, her white shirt slightly wrinkled, and her green trousers a little tight. Shopping bags dangled from her hands.
"Ah, that woman again," Reina whispered to herself, slightly amused by Yura's slightly hurried appearance.
Yura finally arrived in front of Reina, her breath still ragged. She placed the shopping bags on a park bench before speaking. From one of the bags, Yura pulled out several expensive-looking designer items.
"Hmm... Sis, aren't all those expensive items?" Reina asked, her eyes never leaving the luxurious items in Yura's hands. A second later, she came to her senses and whispered, "Oh yeah, I forgot, you're the daughter of a conglomerate." She leaned back on the bench, her head tilted up to the endless blue ceiling.
"Hmm, you're so capable," Yura said with a small smile, a hint of pride in her voice.
Reina then made a slightly daring joke. "I was wondering if you earned that much money and maybe you were playing with some random guy," she whispered with a teasing smile.
SLACK.
A slap landed on Reina's cheek, making her gasp. Reina's cheeks felt hot. "You little thing, you think I'm that cheap," Yura whispered with a piercing, threatening glare. She continued, "You're from a broken home yourself. At least you have a father, rather than yours already being in the ground."
Yura's words were like an electric shock to Reina. Hurt coursed through her heart. It was true, before her father died, her family was a picture of a broken home. Her father, a drunkard with no ambition, often made her mother cry. That's why Reina always sought refuge in Yura, seeking the comfort and warmth she didn't find at home. However, Yura's comments about her deceased father felt especially cruel. She remembered that day, when her father collapsed in the middle of the road, was taken to the hospital, and the doctor pronounced him dead from acute kidney failure caused by alcoholism. Reina didn't cry over her father's passing; she didn't even have an emotional bond with him. All she remembered was hatred for her father, who lived lazily while her mother worked hard.
Flashback to June 21, 2021, some time after Reina's father's death. Reina approached her mother, who was sitting pensively on the porch, staring blankly ahead. The air felt cold, a stark contrast to the weather outside.
"Mom," Reina called softly, then sat down beside her mother, who was still hugging her knees. "Why did you stay with Dad? And why did you want to marry him in the first place?"
Her mother answered with a faint, bitter smile. "Reina-reina. I wanted to go with your father because I was deceived once." She paused for a moment, gazing into the distance. "I met your father at school, then we started dating, and then we got married."
Hearing the word "married" after their courtship at school, Reina's curiosity was piqued. "Married? Why did you marry Dad so quickly?"
Her mother was silent for a long time, contemplating her dark past. "Mom..." She seemed to struggle to find the right words. "I did that twice with your father..." Her mother said softly, her voice trembling with tears. Seeing her mother so fragile, Reina immediately reached for her mother's hand and held it tightly. "Mom, what's wrong? Is something making you sad?" she asked innocently.
Tears began to well up in her mother's eyes. She wiped them roughly with her right hand. "My father kicked me out at that time because he found out I'd done that with that jerk." She whispered, her voice hoarse and full of regret. "If I hadn't done that, if I could turn back time, I wouldn't have done it." She sobbed, the burden of the past weighing on her.
"Mom, tell me how you got kicked out," Reina asked again, her innocent gaze oblivious to the depth of her mother's pain.
At that question, her mother looked down at the dry sidewalk and took a deep breath. "Okay."
....
Moving back to the past, to when Reina's mother was very young.
Reina's mother, still very young at the time, approached her boyfriend's house. named Teynom. "Teynom, come out," she called, knocking on the old wooden door. Teynom emerged with a sluggish expression, clearly disturbed by the uninvited arrival. "What's wrong?"
"Teynom, you have to take responsibility. I'm pregnant now," Reina's mother said, her voice mixed with annoyance and fear.
On hearing that his girlfriend was pregnant, Teynom was shocked. "What!? You're not joking, are you?" He struggled to hold back a scream.
"I'm really not joking. I've checked with the doctor," Reina's mother replied, her voice trembling.
Teynom still looked worried, but suddenly Teynom's father appeared from behind the door. "Teynom, what's going on? And who is this child?" he asked, his father's gaze fixed intently on Reina's mother.
"Hey, that's my girlfriend, Dad," Teynom said nervously.
"Your girlfriend? Why is she here?" His father pressed, sensing something was being hidden.
Teynom fell silent, unsure of how to respond. Seeing his son's panic, Teynom's father continued to press, forcing Reina's mother to finally confess. "It's like this, sir, I'm pregnant with Teynom's child."
Shock and ashen pallor immediately filled Teynom's father's face. "Are you kidding, son?" he asked hoarsely.
"No," Reina's mother replied curtly.
Anger exploded within Teynom's father. He pulled Teynom into the house. "Damn child, why did you impregnate someone else's child, you idiot. You're still in school, idiot!" he shouted.
Hearing the commotion, Reina's mother, overcome with fear, immediately left. She returned to her house, where her father was waiting for her on the porch. "Son, what's wrong? You look panicked?" she asked worriedly.
Suddenly, Teynom arrived, with his father standing beside him. "What's going on? Why have you come to my house?" Reina's parents asked, confused by their arrival.
"Look, sir, my son impregnated your daughter, so I want him to take responsibility," Teynom's father said firmly.
Reina's mother and father were shocked. "Son, you're really not pregnant, right? Answer me honestly," they asked their daughter firmly. Reina's mother was confused and could only stammer, "Eh-that."
SLAP.
A hard slap landed on Reina's mother's cheek. "You impudent child, I've been looking after you to the best of my ability, earning money for you, and you ended up getting pregnant out of wedlock. And with that piece of trash," her father shouted, pointing at Teynom in disgust.
Shortly afterward, Reina's mother emerged from the house, embracing her daughter, who was starting to sob. "Hey, Dad, what's wrong? Don't shout or be rude to Reina." She tried to calm her down. "Son, be honest, there's no way you're pregnant."
Reina's mother replied, her tears growing louder. "I've been with Teynom twice, Mom."
Hearing this confession, Reina's grandmother immediately released her embrace. Her face turned blank, she slowly backed away, then entered the house without a word.
"You cheap daughter, I'm disappointed in you. I sent you to high school, especially at a high cost. This is your answer to my struggles," her father shouted again, this time his voice filled with burning anger. "You shameless daughter." A second slap landed on her mother's cheek.
Without further ado, her father returned to the house and threw a suitcase containing her mother's clothes onto the porch. "Get out of this house, I won't accept a cheap woman like you," he shouted one last time, slamming the door shut.