Chapter 6
The police found this disturbing–drowning is an agonizing death that causes the body to react in pain.
How could his final expression possibly be a smile?
Seeing Dad’s body was when Mom finally shed tears.
She wiped her eyes while simultaneously breaking into uncontrollable laughter.
Facing the reporters‘ cameras, Mom finally spoke.
Her voice revealed exhaustion, yet her tone remained resolute.
“Our family situation has drawn your attention.”
“Many have contacted me, wanting to know what my daughter wrote before she died–words that drove her grandmother and father to suicide.”
“I believe the time isn’t right to reveal that mystery.”
Mom issued an invitation before the reporters: she would reveal the note’s contents in one year.
People were confused but decided to wait.
That year, I took a leave of absence from school to stay with Mom constantly.
I feared she might follow Dad and Grandma in choosing suicide.
But I was wrong. Throughout that year, Mom showed remarkable strength.
She continued working, cooking, shopping, even enrolling in a flower arranging class.
No trace of grief was visible.
The media attention gradually faded, with fewer people following our story. Life seemed to return to normal.
But I knew this was far from over.
Besides all this, Mom had developed a habit of keeping a diary.
She never let me see it and hid it carefully.
Seeing this, I stopped asking about it.
The year passed quickly.
Mom reserved a banquet hall to fulfill her promise and reveal my little sister’s last words.
Chapter 6
As the room filled with people, Mom cleared her throat and began.
“Emma, come here.”
Confused, I stood beside her.
Mom looked at me tenderly, gently stroking my hair.
Then she gripped my hand tightly.
“Emma, Mom knows you’re a good girl.”
“Now, I’ll tell you what your little sister wrote in her note.”
