"You're both this old now, you're in university! This isn't like when you were fourteen or fifteen and fighting until your parents had to be called. I thought you two should both be more mature by now. Even if you're not on good terms, you probably wouldn't be fighting like you used to. But it turns out you've just changed your fighting style, haven't you? If this hadn't happened, we wouldn't have known you two regularly compete in such dangerous things. Jin! Move over! Sit back down!" Chan glared, pointing her finger at her mischievous son, who had initially been sitting only a meter away, but in an instant had moved his chair closer to the door, just in case he got a chance to escape.

 

Do you think I don't know what you're up to, you naughty kid!

 

The person who had been caught pulled the chair back to his seat and gave a wry smile to his mother, who had now transformed into a monstrous figure. He glanced at the injured person lying on the bed, blinking faintly, seemingly trying to minimise his presence, but to no avail, as his parents stood beside the bed with expressions not much different from his mother's.

 

Let's just say that if we weren't in the hospital right now and there weren't any injured people lying there, both him and Jerome might be getting beaten with a stick.

 

"It's good that it's not as serious as I initially thought. Besides bruises all over his body, the broken finger seems the most serious. We'll have to wait for the brain scan results tomorrow, but judging from his responses, it doesn't seem like anything major." 

 

Jenny looked at her son's face and sighed. She felt sorry for him, worried, and angry, a jumble of emotions she couldn't separate. But one thing she knew: she couldn't let these two children continue like this any longer!

 

At first, the two families thought that, because they were young, they disliked each other, were competitive, and liked to fight. They felt that as they grew older, things would calm down. Little did they know that the situation would escalate to this extent. After their son was confirmed safe and not seriously injured, her husband went to the accident site with Tar, an older friend of their son who owns the racetrack. The husband also said that it was lucky that the side that hit the edge of the track was the side their son wasn't on; otherwise, he would have been much more seriously injured.

 

Does anyone else feel the same way? Jenny took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried not to think about it anymore. Luckily, it didn't happen otherwise; she wouldn't know where to cry right now.

 

Jerome narrowed his eyes, looking directly at the person sitting nearby with a sheepish smile, before their eyes met. Seeing the same meaning he intended to convey in the other's gaze, he nodded slightly.

 

The implication is don't speak, don't make excuses, don't say who invited you, don't insult each other, don't blame each other. Just accept it. Otherwise, the situation will escalate. No matter who invited you, the result is that you both did it together. Therefore, the more you blame each other, the more you shift the responsibility, and the heavier the punishment will be.

 

Experience has taught me, so shut up, accept it, and everything will be alright. This is JJ's survival principle after overcoming setbacks. They've failed more than a hundred times. This is the only thing they've both agreed on in recent years.

 

"Mom, let's go home now. We'll come back tomorrow. We've been here for so many hours," Jinn said to his mother in a gentle tone, trying to sound calm. He'd been nagged since last night; couldn't he just rest his ears for a while?

 

“That’s right. Let’s talk about it again tomorrow. Jay looks tired. I’ll have Vee stay and watch him. Today, let’s go back and think of a punishment for that naughty boy, Jinn. He needs to learn his lesson!” 

 

Jenny tossed her son to her husband, not intending to stay and watch him herself. She’d already watched over him last night. Tonight, she wanted to be a strict mother for once. Because today, she felt that she and her best friend needed to have a serious discussion about the relationship between the two children. They couldn’t let things slide any longer; otherwise, something much bigger would surely happen in the future. So these two kids should be close friends by now!

 

"As I said, that's the summary."

 

"Wait, Mom, I don't think I quite understood. Can you repeat that?" Jinn raised his hand to rub his ears and head, as if to make sure his brain and ears were still working properly, because it seemed he had misheard his mother a little.

“It’s simple, Jinn. From now on, until Jay’s finger is completely healed, you two will stay together, eat together, sleep together, and go to school together. Jinn, you have to help Jay with small daily tasks because the doctor said to use his left hand as little as possible. As for Jay, you absolutely must not add any burden or intentionally bully him by making Jinn help you more than necessary!” Jenny repeated what she and her best friend had been thinking about all night, chuckling softly at the two children’s reluctant expressions.

 

Heh heh, you never thought this day would come, did you, you little rascals!

 

Jinn could only give the adults a blank expression as they came to their own conclusions without asking for his consent. So that's why Jerome's mother had packed her bags and stayed with his mother last night—it was all to discuss this matter, wasn't it?

 

"Wouldn't that just make the recovery slower?" Jerome couldn't help but make a disgusted face. He couldn't imagine Jinn having to "take care" of himself at all, but the image of abuse? That was clear to him.

 

“The longer it takes to recover, the longer you’ll be together, dear. It’s just a small thing, not a big problem. Spend some time together, maybe you’ll see other…good sides of each other.” Chan lowered her voice gradually before falling silent. Even she herself didn’t quite believe her own words. For them, Jerome and Jinn were adorable and well-behaved children. Except for telling them to stop fighting, they always followed instructions. She really didn’t know why. Sigh.

 

The two girls had been studying together from elementary school through university, but they still couldn't become close. Now, it's unclear if anything can help, but she and her best friend have nothing to lose anyway. They may cause some frustration for a while. All they want is peace and quiet, without any headaches. Why is it so difficult?!

 

"Mom, come on. You know Jinn..."

 

"That's why I have to do it. I don't care, Jay's car is wrecked, and he's broken three fingers. It's inconvenient to do anything. It had to be this way."

 

"Someone can help take care of him. The kids live almost the same lives, so they can probably help each other with this. They go to school together, come home together, there's nothing wrong with that. If Jerome recovers quickly, they can separate sooner. But if he recovers slowly..." Chan held out both hands and shrugged as if to say, "If Jerome recovers slowly, there's nothing we can do but that the kids will have to take care of him a little longer."

 

Vee sat smiling, amused at her son, who seemed to have lost his mind. Three fingers on his left hand were broken: the middle, ring, and pinky fingers. It was likely that, when the car spun and hit the edge of the track, Jerome's hand struck something unexpectedly due to the force of the impact. There was a large bruise on his temple, indicating a severe impact as well, but luckily, the X-rays showed nothing abnormal.

 

As a father, I was shocked by the car's condition. It was a full-on smash into the edge of the track, despite this model's exceptional durability. Watching the CCTV footage made me take another deep breath. Jerome showed a degree of composure by turning the steering wheel in a way that allowed him to use the side he wasn't in to hit the ground instead; otherwise, there could have been more serious injuries, like broken fingers.

 

It could be a full deduction instead. How lucky!

 

Jinn tried to make a fervent glance at the person sitting dazed on the hospital bed, the one with their finger splinted and their left hand wrapped in bandages, forming a round ball—the one who had been silent since the beginning. Hey, we can't ignore this! Otherwise, we're doomed!

 

Jerome understood the full meaning in that glance. The first time the adults brought it up, his brain had vehemently argued against it. But for some reason, the moment he thought that, fragmented images and stories he'd seen before flashed through his mind again. A tingling sensation filled his left chest, making him wonder if what he'd seen was just a dream, a figment of his imagination, or something that could actually happen.

 

Jerome wasn't superstitious, nor was he one to blindly dismiss everything. He had to consider the situation, because some things couldn't be proven by science. Like, for example, the events in Jinn’s dream—the ones that suddenly flashed through his mind, so vividly, causing the car to swerve and crash—he wanted to know what they were. And the best way to find out was to spend time with the main characters in that dream.

 

"If my mothers say so, then there's really nothing I can do."

 

"!!!" Jinn’s eyes widened in shock at what Jerome said.

Did you even understand what I was trying to say, you idiot?!

 

“Very good, Jinn. No matter how much you give each other looks, this won't change. Go and decide between yourselves whose room you'll be staying in, and no sneaking out—no sleeping in a friend's room. You have to stay together at all times. Understand, kids?” Jan said with a sweet smile, emphasising her words firmly. No one was allowed to argue at all.

 

“Yes,” Jerome

 

"What else can Jinn do?" Jinn

 

Jerome watched as the person pushed their tongue against their cheek in a thuggish manner and gave him the middle finger when the adults weren't looking. The young man narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He'd have to put up with that annoying behaviour for a while, but if he could prove those things, it would be worth it. At least he'd understand what those images really were. His own delusions, the crazy fantasies he'd imagined, or...could he really see the future?

 

Definitely. Jinn’s future in the next ten years or so.