A lonely little boy lay in a burned-down house. He was covered with a beautiful, dark blue coat, using a top hat as a pillow. He hugged a cute doll and whispered something until he fell asleep from exhaustion.
The world watched desperately but did nothing.
The audience listened but did nothing.
He kept muttering even in his sleep, using the last of his voice.
His dream was terrible.
His dream was beautiful.
It was a dream where everything was as it had been before.
...
The boy opened his eyes, waking up in bed as usual.
He blinked for a long time, not quite understanding what was happening. He vaguely remembered something, but it wasn't clear.
Then, his favorite voice interrupted his thoughts, and he turned toward it.
"You're awake, aren't you? If you don't want to get up, let me hel..." But the boy interrupted her.
"Sister!" Seeing her, he immediately rushed into her arms.
"Sister..."
"You're so active in the morning. Good to see."
"Anabel... I'm sorry..." Finally feeling her warmth and familiar scent, the boy could no longer hold back.
"Sorry... I'm sorry. I love you... I love you very, very much. I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner. I'm so sorry..."
Noticing that something was wrong with the boy, the girl began to calm him down. She held him in her strong arms, gently stroking his back and head.
"It's okay, Elion. I love you very much too, and I know that you..." But the boy interrupted her with a tearful cry.
"No! I should have told you this every day—and my parents, too! Every hour! Every minute...! Please forgive me... I love you! I love you! I love you so much! Love you..."
She listened to his confession with a warm smile that was familiar to him. When the boy had calmed down a bit, she said softly,
"You had a nightmare, didn't you? It's okay, Elion. I'm here. I'm with you..."
"P-please don't go... I love you so much... Please come back and don't leave again. I beg you... Sister, come back..." But Elion, as if he couldn't hear her, continued to shed bitter tears. He tried to hold his sister in his tiny hands as if he were afraid that if he let her go, she would disappear forever.
"Elion, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Everything is fine," She continued, gently reassuring him.
This scene continued until Elion calmed down a little.
"You had a nightmare, didn't you?" His sister asked again.
"I—I don't remember very well," The boy muttered, his eyes red from crying.
After that, the girl decided not to ask her frightened brother any more questions. Instead, she continued to dispel his fears with her caring touch. Her sincere tenderness, care, and love had always influenced the boy greatly, and she was able to give him confidence even now. Once he had calmed down completely, he decided to ask the question that had been bothering him for a long time:
"Anabel, why have you come to love me so much?" He whispered to the girl holding him.
She was a little embarrassed by the question but replied,
"Well, it's not so easy to explain... When I first saw you, I knew that I wanted to protect you forever... I also wanted you to always smile, laugh, and be happy. I want you to see how beautiful the world is, and I want to show you. I want you to be amazed and learn new things. And... I want to love you and take care of you, simply because... And I want you to love me, too..." She whispered with a soft smile at the end.
Elion listened intently to his sister, then asked uncertainly,
"But I never gave you anything in return. I only received. You and our parents always loved me just for who I am. Why?"
His sister smiled sweetly, continuing to run her hand through his soft hair, and said warmly:
"Elion… Our parents and I never needed you to do anything for us in return… We love and care for you not because we want you to give us something… But because we want to give something to you."
"Give to me?" He asked, pointing at himself in surprise.
"Yes," His sister smiled at him warmly.
"But why?" He asked awkwardly.
"Just because..." The girl replied softly.
"Just because?" The boy asked incredulously.
"It's our wish. We want to do something for you just because. To love you just because. We do it because we want to."
"I see..." Elion wiped away the tears that had returned and hugged his sister tightly.
"Anabel... I'm sorry that I... No... Thank you! Thank you for loving me! I love you very, very much too!" The boy smiled brightly one last time.
Because all dreams have an unpleasant tendency to end.
That's why they're so terrible.
"Please don't go..." His hoarse whisper could be heard even through his sleep.