Without even wasting another thought, I crouched down and carefully eased her onto my back.
Once I was sure that she was in a stable enough position, I began climbing the stairs.
My bony legs spasmed with each step I took, the crushing weight of Mei threatening to send us both tumbling back down.
It wasn't just my legs.
The muscles in my thin arms strained and cramped as they fought to hold her up. I felt her slowly slipping away from my grasp with every passing step.
I was weak. I was old. I was frail. But I was still her Mom.
And because of that, I continued to climb—ignoring the pain, ignoring everything.
Eventually—maybe about three minutes or so—I finally reached the top. The hard part was done, but the journey wasn't.
Without pausing to breathe, I began walking toward Mei's room. It should have been easier, but the fatigue had accumulated to the point that by the time I got there, my arms and legs had nearly given out entirely.
Once I set Mei onto her bed, I collapsed to the floor. I would have used my hands to prop myself up, but there was no strength left in them.
So I just continued to lie on the floor, catching my breath. As much as I would've liked to call it a night, there was still plenty to be done.
After enough strength returned to my body, I stood up and prepared the spot where I'd be sleeping for the night.
I grabbed a nearby blanket that'd been neatly tucked in the corner of Mei's room and spread it over the floor—right next to her bed. Then, I set out the blanket I'd use myself, along with a pillow.
Once everything had been laid out, I left her room. A part of me felt reluctant to leave her there alone. And that was why, just before I did, I locked the door to her room with a key that only she and I had.
Over the past week, I had taken the time to install a lock on her door, while removing every other lock in the house except for the front door and specifically her bathroom. And by all, I meant every—including my Husband's and my own bedroom.
I thought my Husband would be against the idea at first, but when I suggested it, he didn't mind. He just laughed and told me to do whatever I wanted with a kiss on the cheek.
I went back downstairs and prepared a small bowl of soup. It had been sitting there for a few hours by now, so it was quite stale, but I didn't bother reheating it.
After checking that all the lights were turned off and the front door was locked, I headed back upstairs.
I didn't go into Mei's room this time. Instead, I walked over to my Husband's brother's room—Han.
Without even knocking, I swung the door open and stormed inside. The instant I did, everything was drowned out under a wall of nauseating, foul odour, one that made my nose crinkle.
…How disgusting.
But I didn't leave. I just pressed on.
Hearing the door swing open, Han sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes, looking my way. His face was still bruised all over, and a deep, red scab had crusted across the whole of his bottom lip.
He seemed to be having trouble seeing, having just woken up—so I gave him a helping hand.
I took a deep breath, inhaling the foul odor of his room in all its glory, before spitting out words far worse.
"It's me, you fat pig. I have your dinner—so get the fuck up."
The moment my voice hit the room, it was like he'd been struck by lightning. His posture snapped straight, and he scrambled out of bed and dropped down on all fours.
"Y-yes ma'am! Sorry for wasting your time," he pleaded, bowing.
I clicked my tongue. "Shut up. Don't talk to me. Here."
I tossed the bowl onto the floor. Some of it spilled out, but I didn't care. And neither did he—nor did he have the right to.
He crawled toward the bowl and picked it up, grasping it in his hands.
With his dinner now delivered, I spun around and began walking out.
Just as my foot was about to cross the door, he called after me.
"W-wait!"
I stopped—but didn't turn around. "What is it? Make it quick. You have five seconds."
Before he could say anything, I began counting down.
"Five."
"Okay, okay—"
"Four."
"W-what am I supposed to eat this soup with?!"
My voice halted, and with it, the temperature dropped. Han seemed to feel the pressure rising in the room as his once irritatingly loud breaths went completely still.
With a loud sigh, I turned around and looked down at him, still grovelling at the floor.
His eyes widened as he stared at my face, like a child who'd just seen a monster. But of course I wasn't—I was just a Mom.
He scrambled backwards, his hands flying up to cover his face.
But I didn't move. In fact, I did nothing at all. I just stood there and waited.
Realizing that, he slowly—and reluctantly—lowered his hands and met my eyes once more.
It was only then that I spoke.
"What are you supposed to eat it with? Use your hands. Or your mouth. It doesn't matter to me."
"B-but… what about a spoon–"
"What about it?" I cut in, tilting my head.
The moonlight from the window seemed to vanish behind the clouds just then, drowning his room in complete darkness.
A small, frightened whimper slipped from him.
I wondered what face I had in that moment. Did I look like my Husband's Wife? A Sister-in-law? A Mom? I didn't know. And I didn't care.
I took a step closer. He shrank back.
I, however, continued my pursuit.
"You will use whatever you have in this room. Your pillow case, the blanket—hell, even your shirt for all I care. But if I hear that you've left this room…"
By now, his back was to the wall. He had nowhere left to run, while I had all the room in the world to keep coming.
I took one final step—and stomped down on his ankle. He shrieked in pain. An ugly, pitiful sound.
Hearing it almost delighted me in a way, but I didn't want to wake up my Daughter, so I brought my hand over his mouth and held it shut, my nails digging into his cheeks.
I forced his head up, making him meet my eyes. I don't know what he saw, but his hands went limp at his sides, spilling the soup all over the floor.
That was fine. He could still scoop it up and eat it.
I crouched down until we were only inches apart. He stared at me with shaky, almost teary eyes. While I—I remained exactly the same.
"If I hear you left your room… I will come for you. Nod once if you understand."
He gave me a single, meek, obedient nod.
"Good."
Just like that, I stepped away from him and returned to Mei's room.
I don't know what he did with the soup, or if he ever left the wall, but that wasn't my job to figure out.
After unlocking the door, I slowly slipped inside, locked it again, then collapsed onto my makeshift bed.
Now, with everything accounted for, I could finally go to sleep.
Ah. I almost forgot. I wanted to look at Mei one last time…
But the thought had barely formed before sleep had already taken me.
Even so, my ears remained wide open.