3
I buried myself in my studies. Getting into the
NDU required intense focus, and my talent
was average at best. I needed to work twice
as hard.
My birthday arrived. My family promised to
take me to the amusement park, to ride my
favorite pirate ship. Even knowing their bias
towards Alex, I was excited, leaving two hours.
early.
At the park, it was Alex, Alex, Alex. Did he
need water? Did he need the bathroom? I
scoffed internally. Feeling hot, I bought myself
an ice cream cone. Alex saw it and
immediately started whining that he wanted
one.
Mom wiped his forehead. “Now, now, Alex,
you can’t have ice cream with your asthma.
It’s not even that good. Daddy will give you
<
some water, okay?”
Dad glared at me. “You know your brother is
sick! Showing off your ice cream like that.
What kind of kid are you?”
Even Ethan shoved me aside to rush to Alex’s
side. My ice cream splattered on the ground,
melting into a sad, distorted face.
“What does his illness have to do with me?
It’s my birthday! I want to ride the pirate.
ship!” I said, feeling a desperate need for
something to go my way.
“Brother, don’t be mad,” Alex whimpered,
looking up at me. “I don’t need ice cream. I’ll
ride the pirate ship with you.”
He stumbled towards me, deliberately falling
く
in my direction. I stepped aside. Ethan caught
him, then rounded on me, furious. “What’s
wrong with you? Trying to hurt him? He has
asthma! You could have waited! Why did you
have to mention the pirate ship right in front
of him?”
Dad chimed in, “Look how scared you made
him! You could have just caught him. Why are
you so selfish? Apologize to your brother!”
I stood there, silently watching them.
The tense silence was broken by Alex’s gasp.
“Daddy…I can’t breathe…” He clutched at
Dad’s shirt.
“If anything happens to Alex because you
didn’t catch him, how will you live with
yourself?” Dad yelled, scooping Alex up and
“It’s your fault!” Ethan spat, following close
behind. “If anything happens to Alex, I won’t
forgive you!”
I’d almost forgotten. This was exactly how
Alex had ruined my birthday in both my past
lives. His asthma attacks were so
conveniently timed, so expertly performed.
Mom was the only one left. Clinging to a
sliver of hope, I took her hand. In my past
lives, I had cried and begged them not to
leave me on my birthday, only to be yelled at.
This time, I tried a different approach.
“Mom, can you stay with me?”
She glanced in the direction Alex had
disappeared. “But Alex seems really sick…”
“But he has Dad and Ethan.”
She looked into my eyes, then slowly pulled
her hand away. “Noah, be reasonable. He’s
sick, I can’t just ignore him. Next time, I
promise, we’ll celebrate your birthday
properly.”
She didn’t even offer to call me a cab. She
left, without a backward glance. The last
flicker of hope died inside me, as if even the
melting ice cream on the ground was
mocking me.
I threw my ticket and the ruined ice cream in
the trash and went home alone. I was only
ten. Why wasn’t my mom my mom anymore?
I sat on the sofa, waiting for them, the living
room light on all night.
They returned the next morning, Alex the
center of attention. Mom’s face froze when
she saw me, as if she’d just remembered
abandoning her own son at the amusement
park.
She stammered, “Noah, you know Alex isn’t
well… I remember your birthday. We’ll
celebrate it properly next time.”
I stared at her. She’d said the same thing last
time. But Alex’s asthma always conveniently
flared up on my birthday, yet he was perfectly
fine on his own. I’d argued about it before,
but no one believed me. Since Alex arrived, I
hadn’t had a single proper birthday.
My stare made Mom uncomfortable. Alex
spoke up. “I’m sorry, Brother. I ruined your
birthday again. I’m so useless.”
<
Mom pulled him into a hug. “Don’t say that,
Alex. It wasn’t your fault.” She turned to me.
“Noah understands, right? After all…”
“After all, Alex is frail, and I’m the older
brother, so I should let him have his way,” I
finished coldly.
Mom gave a weak smile. “That’s right, Noah.
You’re so understanding. Next birthday, we’ll
all go to the amusement park together.”
I laughed internally. There would be no next
time. In my previous life, I never went back to
the amusement park, not even before I died.
Would my birthdays always be held hostage
by Alex’s “illness“? Why did my parents
expect me to accept this unconditionally?
“No, thanks. I don’t want to go anymore.” I
<
Mom stopped me. “Noah, don’t be angry. I
love you both equally. I’ll make it up to you, I
promise.”
Dad nodded in agreement, still giving me a
disapproving look. I was being unreasonable,
apparently.
Alex spoke up again. “It’s my fault Brother is
upset. I should apologize.”
Ethan hugged him tighter, glaring at me. “It’s
not your fault, Alex. And Noah will forgive you.
He didn’t catch you, and he hasn’t apologized
yet. You’re even.”
My parents chimed in. “That’s right, it’s not
your fault. Noah won’t blame you.”
I turned and walked upstairs, not wanting to
く
look at them anymore. I was the one
abandoned on my birthday, thanks to Alex
yet they were all protecting him, apologizir
for me. It was a joke. Alex’s act was tru
masterful.
