She stood alone at the front row, the only remaining family member, sending off her late parents to their final resting place. As a middle school girl, her small hands each held a framed photo—one of her father, the other of her mother.

From time to time, tears silently slid down her face. There was no sobbing. Her eyes had grown cold, numbed by the cruel reality forced upon her. She was even forced to suppress any hatred that might have been born from it.

As if everything hadn’t been enough, she forced herself to witness the whole burial—the moment the coffins were lowered, the soil poured over them, the tombstones placed, and the flowers scattered. She looked as though she had lost everything. Her slumped shoulders made it seem as if the weight of the world had fallen upon her.

Had she not known this was the world of a novel, she wouldn’t have even been able to say her last goodbyes properly. She would’ve just cried out in sorrow, confused and broken. She would’ve questioned why everything had to happen to her. Why fate could be so cruel.

Once the burial was over, Lana stood still for a long time in front of her parents’ graves. She was now alone. That truth hit her with terrifying loneliness. Living without anyone to rely on. Alone. Was she ready to face the world like this?

Could she go on without her mother’s worried voice waking her up each morning so she wouldn’t be late for school, or the clatter of kitchen utensils from the small warteg at home? Without her mother’s constant scolding, telling her to learn how to cook and clean? Without her mother’s warm hugs, whether in sadness or in joy?

Could she live without her father? Without the man who always came home late, yet still checked on her before going to bed? Who bore all hardship for her and her mother’s sake? Who smiled through his pain so they wouldn’t worry? Who always told her she was the most beautiful daughter in the world?

Remembering all this, her tears began to fall again. Her chest tightened with pain. Her throat clenched. Her breathing was heavy. She staggered away from the cemetery with trembling steps.

Now she was truly alone. Absolutely. Left in the world without a soul to lean on.

“D-dad… M-mom…”

Her unprepared heart called out for the ones who had already left her. No one answered. And the silence only deepened her grief.

“Dad… hic… Dad… Mom!” Her legs grew weaker and eventually gave out beneath her. Her hands caught her fall. Her cries broke out in anguish, cutting through the hearts of those who saw her. After a long time crying, her body grew limp. She finally lost consciousness.

***

They were there because of guilt and sorrow for the accident that had taken the lives of the girl’s parents. That guilt came along with grief and deep concern. As human beings, they could not imagine how much pain the little girl must have been in. Her condition was heartbreaking. She looked like she could be blown away by the wind.

Her face was pale, her eyes reflecting a haunting loneliness. Such emptiness was so overwhelming that they wanted to run to her and say, you’re not alone.

But… how could they? Wouldn’t that be shameless? That’s why the married couple who had brought their son held back, choosing not to speak or act too much.

Because they were the ones responsible for the girl’s suffering.

“No!” Ratri screamed and immediately ran toward the unconscious girl.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?” she asked, but no reply came.

Julian, seeing Lana’s condition, quickly made a decision.

“Let’s take her to the hospital.” He lifted her and the three of them rushed to their car, heading straight to the hospital. Only after arriving did the doctor explain her condition.

“This child fainted from shock and lack of nutrition. She needs rest and proper meals to avoid collapsing again,” the doctor explained.

“No need to worry. We’ll give her an IV and prescribe some medication. Make sure she takes it when she wakes up.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll take my leave now.”

But their worry didn’t disappear just like that. People naturally despise being the cause of another’s suffering. And this time, it was a young, fragile girl.

Sean, the son of Julian and Ratri, watched Lana silently. He had never felt sadness like this before. His parents had always surrounded him with warmth and comfort. As the eldest son of Julian Atmaja, he had always known the good side of life.

But ever since the accident, his life had changed. Honestly, his parents’ guilt was justified. The accident happened because of their carelessness. They never meant to take anyone’s life.

If she knew what happened, she’d probably hate us, Sean thought, remembering the way Lana had cried after losing her parents.

They waited for her to wake. The room was filled with silence, heavy and cold. The family tried to stay strong for each other. Watching Lana cry in her sleep was heartbreaking. Ratri, a mother herself, wiped Lana’s tears with trembling fingers as her own tears fell, while Julian gently comforted her.

Sean remained by Lana’s side without moving. It took quite a while until the girl finally opened her eyes. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open. The sorrow in her eyes returned. She looked down, as if no longer wishing to speak.

“You’re awake, sweetheart?” Ratri’s voice stirred her, and Lana weakly turned her gaze toward her.

She said nothing. She looked at Ratri, then Julian, then finally at Sean. Her eyes wandered around the room.

“Why am I here?”

“You fainted, dear. We brought you here,” Ratri replied softly, her face full of worry.

The poor girl said nothing for a while. Her eyes blinked weakly, filled with exhaustion. As if she had forgotten how to form words.

“Thank you… I’m sorry for troubling you,” Lana finally whispered, her voice trembling.

She closed her eyes again, resting her head to the side as pain throbbed through her.

Ratri gently held her hand. “Don’t apologize, sweetheart. You’ve gone through something terrible. You’re a very strong little girl.”

Lana pressed her lips shut. Her eyes turned red again as memories of her parents came flooding back. She turned away from Ratri, only to be seen more clearly by Sean. A boy around her age.

Lana immediately realized that this boy must be the male lead—Sean Atmaja. The one who, in the novel, was supposed to hate her.

Sean was undeniably handsome, even as a middle schooler. But Lana wasn’t in the state to admire him. On the contrary, she felt bitterness toward the three Atmajas gathered in this hospital room.

She bit the inside of her cheek as tears fell again, unstoppable.