chapter 20

                                    

                                          
Lake stepped into the cozy bakery, the warm aroma of freshly baked goods wrapping around him like a comforting blanket. His eyes scanned the display cases filled with cakes of every shape and size. When his gaze landed on a rich chocolate cake with delicate frosting, he smiled.
Lake's mind: "Perfect. She always loved chocolate."
Walking up to the counter, he gestured to the cake. "I’ll take that one, please."
The baker, a cheerful man with flour dusting his apron, nodded. "Great choice! Would you like a name written on it?"
Lake opened his mouth to reply, but the words caught in his throat. A memory surfaced, vivid and unrelenting.
---
Young Lake: "Lina, pass me the remote!"
Sister Lina: "It’s Sister Lina! How many times do I have to tell you?"
Young Lake: (grinning) "But Lina sounds better!"
Sister Lina: "Lake! I’m older than you! Show some respect!"
No matter how many times she scolded him, he never stopped calling her by her name. It was his way of teasing her, of standing his ground in their sibling dynamic. She would glare at him, but he could always see the faintest smile tugging at her lips.
But that smile was gone now.
---
Lake blinked, snapping back to the present. His chest tightened, and he looked down at the counter to hide the sudden emotion threatening to overwhelm him.
Lake's mind: "Lina... I haven’t said her name in years. Not since she..."
He clenched his fists, the familiar pang of guilt washing over him.
The baker’s voice broke through his thoughts. "Sir? The name for the cake?"
Lake hesitated. His heart felt heavy, but he forced a small, bittersweet smile.
"Just write... Sister Lina."
The baker nodded, carefully piping the words onto the cake. Lake watched in silence, his mind swirling with memories of her warmth, her laughter, and her unwavering love for him.
Lake's mind: "I never listened when you were alive. But now... Sister Lina, this is for you."
When the cake was finished, Lake took it gently, as though holding something precious. He left the bakery, the weight of the cake matched only by the weight in his heart.
As Lake carefully balanced the cake box in one hand, he glanced at his watch. "Still early for school," he muttered, lost in thought. Just as he turned the corner, he bumped into someone—again.
Lake stumbled back slightly, managing to steady the cake. "Ah! Sorry!" he blurted, looking up.
His eyes widened in recognition. It was the same guy he had saved from getting hit by a car the day before.
"You!" Lake exclaimed.
The guy stood there, silent, his piercing gaze fixed on Lake.
"Um..." Lake scratched the back of his head awkwardly. His hand slid into his pocket, pulling out a small handful of candies. "Here." He held them out.
The guy didn’t react immediately, just staring at the candies and then back at Lake.
Lake offered a soft smile. "It's my sister's birthday today. It's a tradition to distribute sweets, so... take them."
The guy hesitated, then slowly reached out and took the candies, his fingers brushing against Lake’s for a fleeting moment.
Still, he didn’t speak.