Lina believes. He always believed. There must be a reason for his existence in this world. Whatever it was, he wanted to know and think that reason mattered. Maybe, someday, he'll get that answer. And the only thing he had to do until then was to believe.
Soon, Lina will graduate from high school, and she hopes to continue her education to become a teacher one day. However, Lina realized that the dream might be impossible and difficult. He even had almost nothing. No parents and no money. There was only his Uncle. An unpleasant person and too evil.
Since junior high school, Lina herself has been trying to raise money by helping her neighbours sell fried foods and crackers. However, her Uncle always took Lina's wages and used them to gamble.
Honestly, Lina would definitely feel happy if her Uncle came back victorious.
Yes, it is better not to be a hypocrite, right? But unfortunately, Uncle always loses the game and comes back drunk.
It's a cruel reality.
"What's the reason..." Lina asked herself while looking up at the glowing blue sky. On that hot day, he sat alone under an old banyan tree deep in the forest. A place that was almost impossible for people to go to, including his Uncle.
If Lina had the chance, however small her chance of success, she might have built a hut under this tree. There was no problem living alone here, considering that he, too, was used to being there alone, sometimes even into the middle of the night.
However, it would be a problem if someone saw him going back and forth out of the forest carrying a board and tools that he shouldn't be holding. Yes, a huge problem.
"What exactly is the reason..." He asked once again.
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It's been a dozen years, but his life hasn't improved. What should he do now? It was graduation day soon, and the situation was getting worse daily. He could no longer feel his Uncle's fists or his cruel treatment.
He needed directions and answers. Whatever that is.
Although, Lina might have found that clue long ago or since entering high school. But that's all, no other clues.
"Hey! Come on quickly! I'm already hungry!"
"Yeah! I can smell mom's cooking from here too!"
"Yes! Let's go home!"
When Lina heard the voices in the distance, she immediately got up as fast as she could, took a thousand steps and tried to find the source of the sound.
Taking a deep breath, he ran through the forest and entered the darkest part of the forest without hesitation. The sound of the leaves crumbling was heard with every step. The further she went in, the denser the trees grew there, to the point that Lina could no longer see the sunlight because the leaves were too thick. Suddenly, Lina's eyes opened wide as if she had just seen a miracle.
Far away, he could see three figures of little children who looked very strange. They had the curves of a foreigner's face, long pointed ears, golden blonde hair, and odd green clothes. Lina had read about these figures in storybooks. And broadly speaking, they are known as Forest Elves. They are creatures that live in the forest and use their magic to protect and protect nature.
They are absolute miracles.
Lina kept running, darting, and trying to reach the three children.
However, the three boys quickly stepped closer to a large tree that Lina didn't know what kind. Then, one of them opened a door that should never have been in the tree and went inside. "No! Wait!"
But it was too late. The door closed and disappeared without a trace from the surface of the tree bark. Likewise, the three children have just vanished, like being swallowed by the earth.
"No..." Lina fell to her knees in front of the tree. His eyes flashed with sorrow, and he began to shed tears. Sweat dripped down his face. He had tried to meet the children a thousand times and wished he could go with them, but he had consistently failed. "Please don't leave me... Please..."
Again, what a cruel reality.
"God... I believe that my beliefs are meaningful... So, please don't give me any reason to hate..."
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