Your Memories Stay With Me

Chapter 10: His Memories 2.0

"Why aren't you coming with us?" Net's mother stopped and looked at him with puzzled eyes. They are currently discussing how it would be better if they were to leave a day earlier to prepare for Penny's birthday party. However, they were all taken aback when Net, who just came back from hanging out with his friends, blurted out about not being able to come with them.

"I've still got something to do. I'll just follow you guys the next day," Net vaguely responded, making his mom look at him in confusion.

"What are you going to do? Will you be able to come in time?" His mother asked again, trying to get more information from him.

"Yeah, I will; it's just a couple hour drive away." Net responded, pausing for a moment before letting out a sigh when he saw his mom's skeptical look and the worried look in her face. "Didn't you invite James? I'll be waiting for him so we can go there together," he nonchalantly responded before turning around, taking the opportunity to get away while his mother and his younger brother stopped in surprise upon hearing him utter the doctor's name. However, before he could leave, his mother had already gotten over her shock and firmly called out his name.

"You—you met up with James?" Net looked at his mother, who was eagerly waiting for an answer, as delight danced in her hopeful eyes.

"It's not like meeting up with him is the hardest thing to do as we happen to also conveniently share the same circle of friends in college." Net showed a smile that did not reach his eyes and answered.

"....."

"What a coincidence, isn't it?" He sarcastically added while looking at his mom, observing how she reacts to his voice full of sarcasm.

"Phi." Ne, sensing the tension in the air, called out in hesitation but was brutally ignored by his brother, who did not even spare him a glance.

"Mom," Net called out in a soft voice, pausing for a moment. He swallowed hard as he clenched his hand into a fist, trying his best to control his swirling emotions, before he opened his mouth to continue.

"Mom, don't you have anything to say to me?" he added in almost a whisper. His mother did not answer and just carefully looked at him. Net did not utter a word and just silently stood there, waiting for his mother's response. He waited and waited until a minute of silence had passed, and his mother finally let out a soft sigh before opening her mouth to answer.

"No, I don't," she responded in a firm voice, ignoring the pain that crossed his son's eyes, causing him to take in a sharp breath.

Net blankly looked at his mother before shifting his eyes to the rest of his family: his dad, his brothers, and his sister-in-law. He looked at them with eyes devoid of emotion while internally begging for them to open their mouths and tell him what he needed to know. However, they all stayed tight-lipped and just looked at him with hesitation, so he just shook his head before turning his back to leave.

"Net," his mother softly called out, making him stop on his track. Net stood still, not bothering to face them again as he waited for his mother to continue.

"Son. No matter what you find out, always remember that everything happened because someone selflessly loves you. They love you enough to go against what their hearts want and let you go so you can live the life you turned your back into. You might think it's unnecessary—that they don't really need to do all that. But remember, sometimes you're better off living a life of solitude than living a life full of what ifs and regrets."