I opened my eyes as the world surrounding me was warm, to say the least. Before I notice how short I am

  . . . Huh, this is me when I'm a kid

  . . . So. . . This is. . .

  I took a look around my surroundings, it was filled with the sounds of kids with their parents, with both my left and right filled with stalls

  I then looked up, and the big Ferris wheel was the first thing that caught my eye before I noticed the stars in the night sky

  . . . I'm in a dream

  . . . No, dream isn't this warm. This feels more like a memory. . .

  "Dani, where are you going? " a male voice called me

  "Dear, don't go too far " a female voice called me

  As I turned around and looked at the source of the sound, I saw two familiar faces that I knew

  ". . . Mom? Dad? "

  My mom then approaches me before taking my hand gently, and smiles at me

  "Dear, you make me worried. What if you get missing? "

  ". . . Ha, sorry "

  Instead of shouting at me, she just sighed before caressing my hair

  "Don't do that again, ok? "

  ". . . Hmm "

  I then walked beside her to my father, before he picked me up and carried me on his back

  "Alright, let's go to the shooting stall. What did you say, Dear? " My mother said as she clapped her hands

  ". . . I'm pretty sure I can't shoot "

  "Aww Dear, we're here for fun. It doesn't matter if you can't " She said as she caressed my hair again

  "Yeah, Dani. Plus, we will both support you instead. Even if you miss all your shots, haha! " My father teased me

  "Honey! "

  "Kidding, kidding. Alright, who wants to play carousel? " my father asked

  ". . . How about we all just go find food? "

  They both just laughed softly at me before we approached food stalls, as the world was getting whiter and whiter

  My eyes slowly fluttered open before I rubbed my eyes

  But instead of getting up, I stay lying in my bed for a moment. With my thoughts becoming wild again

  . . . How weird. . . I don't recall ever going to a funfair with them

  That's when my phone rang before I picked it up and answered it

  ". . . Hello? "

  "Dan! Where're you at?! " Farah shouted at me

  ". . . I'm just awake. . . "

  "Suraya's final match is today! You didn't forget, did you?! "

  ". . . I- "

  "Hurry up! "

  Right after hearing that, she ended the call before I could explain anything

  ". . . It's like I live with a strict stepmother "

  I sighed before getting up from my bed, and went to the bathroom

  "Hmm, still early actually. . . " I said to myself as I checked my phone

  "Huff. . . Farah really is too strict about time "

  As I walked past the fans who had waited for the arena entrance, I saw her already cross her arms while looking at me sharply, waiting outside the arena entrance

  ". . . You're late " she said

  ". . . I was. . . Too deep in my dream "

  ". . . "

  ". . . It didn't start yet, right? "

  "No, but next time you're late, I'm gonna ask Suraya to personally scold you "

  ". . . Ok "

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  "Huff. . . Let's get inside already " She said before walking beside me, still crossing her arms

  We both entered the arena and walked to the front rows, before she plopped down while still pouting

  "Still mad? " I asked her calmly, before sitting down beside her

  "Yes "

  ". . . Sorry? "

  She then stared at me before exhaling her breath

  "Just don't be late again "

  "Alright. . . Stepmom " I whispered the last word to myself

  "What did you just call me?! "

  "Nothing "

  "I heard you earlier, Dan! "

  "No you're not "

  Farah just glared at me, before she heard a familiar voice next to her

  "I think he called you 'stepmom' earlier, Farah " Adam said; munching on his popcorn

  "Ahh! Adam?! Since when are you here?! "

  "I have been here long before you two, you're just too mad to notice me "

  "What Adam said is true. He was always sitting there " I said calmly

  "Then why didn't you tell me?! "

  ". . . I thought you noticed, or you know he's coming here. That's why "

  "Hmm, my man always has good eyes, unlike someone's stepmom here "

  "Hey! I am not acting like a stepmother! "

  "You're strict, easily get angry, and love cats. Yeah, pretty sure that's what most stepmoms' personalities are "

  "What does cats have anything to do with this?! "

  ". . . Huff. . . You guys make my head hurt with all your bantering " I said to myself as I massaged my forehead

  As the sounds of the fans filled the whole arena, my head felt much more painful and my ears started to ring

  The sounds of their banter and the fans started to fade from my ears, as my head now felt like it was cracked open

  Argh. . . Why now. . .? I thought to myself while holding my head, before Farah put her hand on my shoulder

  "Dan, you ok? "

  ". . . Yeah, I just. . . Need to go to the toilet for a moment " I said as I rubbed my eyes

  "Need me to accompany you? " Adam asked me

  "No, I just need an alone moment. I'll be fine "

  ". . . You sure, Dan? I'm worried that you've been attacked again. " Farah said as her eyes softened in worry

  ". . . I'll be back in 15 minutes. How about that? "

  They both looked at each other before Farah just let out a long sigh and Adam just accepted it with a small smile

  "Alright Dan, but just 15 minutes "

  "Yeah, get back here quickly ok? I don't want Farah order me to check on you"

  "Alright, alright. I got it "

  After I washed my face, I then stared at the sink for a moment before rubbing my eyes

  How did I suddenly get a headache again?

  I'm fairly certain I didn't experience either bad memories or such thoughts this time. Yet this is the worst one I've had

  I then let out a sigh before closing both my eyes, trying to clear my head

  . . . Maybe I'm just having too much stress

  As I opened my eyes again, what was in front of my eyes was no longer a mirror, but a shooting stall

  My surroundings were no longer a silent public toilet, but rather a funfair with a lot of noise

  As I looked down, my body was just like when I was a kid before I clenched my small hands

  Wait. . . This feels like. . . In my dream earlier. . .

  "Dani, over here! " My father called me

  I turned around and looked at them, as they were at the shooting stall waiting for me, before I walked to them

  "Didn't I tell you both that I'm not good at this thing? "

  "Oh dear, I told you earlier that we are here just for fun, right? Don't stress yourself over this " My mother said as she smiled at me

  Before I could argue any further, my father suddenly pressed the rifle against my cheek

  "Come on Dani. Give it a try "

  I then gripped the rifle with my hands before aiming it at the tin cans that had been arranged stacked into a triangle shape, before I took the shot but hit the prize behind it instead

  Shit

  "Oooh, you missed kid. Two more bullets left for you " The male stallholder said to me

  ". . . Tch "

  I then reload the rifle with another rubber bullet and take a shot, this time only hitting the top of the cans

  "Damn it. . . " I said to myself as I reload it with the last rubber bullet and aimed it, before my father gripped the rifle to stop me

  "Alright, Dani. You're absolutely suck at aiming "

  ". . . I told you-"

  He suddenly held my arms before helping me aiming at the center of the pyramid

  "Don't focus on anything else, focus on your target " He whispered to me, before pressing my fingers on the rifle trigger

  Bang

  The center can fall before all the other cans lose their balance and fall as well

  ". . . Ha "

  "Yeah! Congrats, dear! " My mother said as she clapped her hands

  The stallholder then gave me a fluffy teddy bear that I had shot earlier

  "Well, here's your prize kid. Don't blame me, you shot the ultimate prize earlier "

  ". . . Ok "

  As my parents and I walked away from the stall, my father then put his hand on my head

  "See? I told you that we'll support you "

  "I'm pretty sure you don't need to support me over something 'fun' "

  He then sighed before smiling a little bit at me. As if what I said earlier was ridiculous

  "Dani, whether it was a fun thing or not, people will always need someone to support before they do something "

  ". . . What did you mean? "

  "Well, imagine if your mother and I didn't encourage you earlier, would you even want to try that? "

  ". . . No, I don't think so "

  "And imagine if your mother didn't clap for you after you got that teddy, did you think it was worth it? " He said, his finger pointing at it

  As I stared at the teddy bear, I pushed my brain to understand what my father was trying to say

  ". . . I don't get you "

  "Hehe, oh dear. . . What your father is trying to say is that you must always support the people you care about " My mother said gently

  "Yep! Thanks dear, almost ruined the moment there "

  "No problem, honey "

  Support the people I care about. .?

  As that thought lingered around in my mind, he then kneeled and stared at my eyes, as the world surrounding me started to turn white

  "Dani, can you promise us something? "

  ". . . What is it? "

  "Promise us that no matter what happens, you must always be by their side. Will you? "

  ". . . Hmm, I will "

  As I blinked back to reality, I was finally back at the toilet before I slapped my cheeks a few times and covered my face

  "Huff, I must have missed them too much. My brain just made up a fake memory out of the sudden. . . " I said to myself

  . . . But, somehow it felt real to me

  I then washed my face one last time before walking out of the toilet, before my phone started to ring

  Huff. . . Here we go again. . .

  I take a deep breath and exhale, before answering the call

  "Yes, Farah? "

  "Dan, you ok?! There's no demons or maniacs attacking you right?! "

  "Don't worry, I'm fine "

  "Huff, thanks the constellations. What takes you so long?! "

  "Letting my shits out "

  "For 20 minutes?! Most people only take 10! "

  "That's the average time for someone to poop, not me "

  ". . . Huff, just hurry up. It's Suraya's match next up "

  "Hmm, already on my way back "

  I ended the call before the edge of my eyes noticed a familiar figure at the end of the hallway

  . . . Suraya?

  Wearing her usual blue dress while clutching the skirt, she tries to calm herself down by murmuring something to herself

  "Nervous much, huh? " I said to myself before I walked slowly to her

  As I strolled to her, the words she talked to herself became more and more clear to my ears

  "Alright, you can do this. . . You can do this, you can do this, you can do this-"

  "Suraya? "

  "EEK! " She screeched before she turned around and saw me, exhaling her breath

  "Geez, Dani. . . You scared me "

  ". . . What? I'm a ghost now? "

  "That's not what I mean-. . . Huff, what're you doing here? "

  "Well, I saw you here. Thought I checked on you "

  She then walked closer to me, before staring at me and smirking

  "Hmm, then I suppose you're worried about me~? "

  As she waited for my answer, I brushed her hair back behind her ear gently which made her cheeks and ears pinker

  "A little bit " I said calmly

  "T-Thanks. . . " She said as she smiled softly at me

  ". . . So, what did you say to yourself earlier? "

  "Oh, that. . . Just convincing myself that I can do this, that's all "

  ". . . Well, that sounds very uncharacteristic of you "

  "Eh? What did you mean? "

  "Well, every time I'm with you, I always see your confident, genius self. So to see you nervous is new to me "

  She then pouted before pinching my shoulder

  ". . . What's that for? "

  "For lowering the stake. You know this competition is for my exam, right? "

  "Hmm, I know. That's why I said it like that. Because I believe you're gonna win "

  ". . . But what if I lose this one? "

  ". . . Then I will still cheer you on"

  As she heard that, her mouth slightly opened, speechless before she muttered out my name

  ". . . Dani. . . "

  "I wasn't good at giving motivational speeches. . . But you're the hardest-working person I've ever known since we were children. Either you win or not, I will always be proud of you "

  ". . . "

  ". . . Well, it's probably weird of me to say so. But- "

  Before I could finish my sentence, she suddenly hugged me tightly

  I couldn't see it, but somehow, I could feel her smile

  Her usual Sakura smile

  ". . . Thanks, Dani "

  ". . . So you didn't feel weird about what I said earlier? "

  "Idiot, that's exactly what I need to hear. Why should I feel weird? "

  ". . . I see, then you're welcome "

  As she slowly released the hug and took a step back, we both then heard commentators outside going wild

  "Next up is the final match for this tournament, and this match is rather interesting. Don't you think so, Derek? "

  "Hmm, on the left side, we have the mage who's already comparable to those legendary mages we heard in history, Lander "

  "Well, I don't think any of the past mages being able to create a counter spell for time stop, Derek. And being able to do so before 18?? Yeah, she's definitely surpassing them"

  "Everyone, please give your loudest cheers to the one and only prodigy mage in this century, Miss Suraya! "

  The arena then filled with thousands of cheers, before my phone started ringing

  As I answered the call before pressing the speaker button, both of us then heard a shout of rage from her

  "DAN-"

  "I'm with Suraya right now, I'll be back in seconds," I said before ending the call

  "Huff. . . Look at your bestie, Suraya. . . "

  "Well, my bestie is also your friend. So you can't really complain about it "

  ". . . Yeah, guess I can't do shit about it "

  "Hehe. . . Well, guess it's time for me to go out there "

  Just as she was about to step away, I felt a strong urge to share something with her that had been on my mind for a while

  "Suraya "

  "Yes, Dani? "

  ". . . Just do your best "

  She just looked at me with her soft eyes for a moment, touched by my words before giggling at me

  "Don't worry, Dani. Of course I will. In fact, I'll show you 200% of my best. So keep your eyes on me "

  As I watched her slowly walk to the arena, I whispered to myself calmly

  "Yeah, she's gonna win this one "