Chapter 6: Unheard

Her perseverance to keep moving only made my defeat feel heavier.

[ And the FA■ILI■R music started to play again ]

♪ Shall light be forever swallowed by the dark,

Must I wander alone with a shattered heart?

If fire turns cold and fades from sight,

I'll cling to your promise through endless night. ♪

[ The song stopped. ]

Three chairs stood firm on the ground.

The sudden crash of children onto chairs vibrated.

Screams of the children and adults in the sidelines echoed.

A chair was pushed out of its circular formation when [ Jane ] sat on a single chair, fighting with a kid around 9-years-old.

The chairs moved uncontrollably until the game master tapped on her mic.

The game master let out an exaggerated cough, clearly amused.

"Ehemm, that was so fierce! None of them are really joking around —" She cut herself off, eyes flicking between Jane and the boy.

She looked at the chair where [ Jane ] sat with....

Her son.

Her microphone buzzed as she hesitated, torn between two choices.

————————————————————

"Be honest," the game master finally spoke. Her voice was light, teasing even, but something about it felt off....

Like she was trying too hard to keep things playful.

"Who sat first?" She added, hinting she had not seen the scene happen before her eyes and needed their testimony.

"I did." [ Jane's ] voice was steady. Her eyes never wavered as she looked at the game master, neither smug nor apologetic. Just a simple truth.

"No!!! It was me!" The boy's voice cracked as he jumped up, face flushed with frustration.

He turned toward the crowd, arms thrown out, and with an act of desperation. "Everybody saw that, right?!!"

Murmurs spread through the audience, splitting into three. Some whispered Jane had sat first. Others swore the boy was quicker.

And then there were people like me– who had no idea what really happened.

All I knew was what I saw now.

[ Jane ], sitting firmly in place.

While the boy was barely clinging to the edge of the chair, small hands gripping its sides, as if holding on could change the outcome.

The game master hesitated.

She looked at her son. Then at [ Jane ].

And then—

"Alright, I suppose… [ Jane ] gets the seat!" She exclaimed.

The crowd erupted in cheers– some were excited, and others were exasperated.

But the boy...

He didn't move, he just stood there....

Frozen in place.

He clenched his fists, his eyes dwelling with a sence of helplessness.

Then —–

"MOM!!!" His voice cracked, high and raw, shaking with disbelief.

"You can't do this to me!! I won fair and square! You're just choosing her to look good in front of everyone!"

He added, his voice breaking.

His mother reached for his hand, her grip firm as she pulled him aside– away from the crowd, into a quieter corner.

The boy barely resisted. His feet followed, but his mind was somewhere else.

Somewhere dark--

...and cold.

Somewhere he'd been before.

She crouched in front of him, her face set in a forced calm, but her eyes..... her eyes held no warmth.

"It's OKAY!! It's just a game.

....Losing is NORMAL." she exclaimed, a hint of anger beneath her calm voice.

....His fingers, which curled into the fabric of his sleeves, trembled.

"..."

Was it normal to feel this...

Empty?

To feel like no matter how hard he tried, no matter how fast he ran, no matter how much he wanted to win––

It would never be enough?

His legs felt weak, like he might sink to the floor.

But he didn't.

He co■ld_'t.

Instead, he forced himself to stand still, even as his vision blurred, even as his lips trembled.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

It was unfair.

[ ..... ]

The boy looked at the floor.

Then, in a whisper barely louder than the wind —

"You never choose me." his voice cracked.

[ He wanted to keep it for himself, but it slipped. ]

His mother stiffened.

The kid bit his lower lip to stop tears from flowing, clearly trying not to sound defeated.

The game master...his mother— stood still for a second.

She looked toward him, her face unreadable.

[ Maybe she would consider an apology. ]

....But....

She didn't.

Her feet turned into the opposite direction...

And she...

MOVED ON.

His eyes was clearly devoid of hope, as his mom hurriedly left after "consoling" him.

————————————————————

The crowd, once buzzing with laughter and energy, had shifted the moment the game master returned to the center.

The whispers and rumours came to a halt.

The game master notice the sudden shift in the atmosphere, but she paid it no heed.

"....." Although, I heard their mockery.

"That kid's such a spoiled brat" a man grunted.

"Relaax," a girl beside him muttered. "He'll learn to accept defeat someday."

"She should raise him better" another woman whispered.

I looked back at the boy, he was hunched in the shadows, his hands gripping his sleeves, shoulders shaking slightly.

He wasn't spoiled.

[ He just couldn't accept the fact he lost. ]

And I wish people knew words hurt like a needle.

———————————————————

[ 3 players remained. ]

A young girl, barely older than eight, moved with the rhythm, her focus locked on the two chairs ahead.

Then....!

[ The music stopped. ]

She hesitated.

And in that split second, her fate was sealed.

By the time she turned around, both chairs were already claimed.

She blinked. Looked back. Then sighed, her small shoulders sagging in acceptance.

DEFEATED.

[ 2 players left. ]

[ Jane ] and a boy, maybe ten or eleven, locked in the final round.

The crowd grew louder. Excited.

The game master's voice rang through the mic, heightening the anticipation.

And then.....!

The final round began.

♪ Can you swear your love won't break?

Undo the past, the cruel mistakes?

Or will I be left to drown in pai--

[ The song stopped. ]

Instantly, [ Jane ] positioned helself to sit onto the chair.

But—–!

It was GONE.

Her balance tipped backwards, gravity taking over.

She looked back.

The boy had yanked the chair at the last second, dragging it just far enough to claim for himself.

[ Jane ] barely had time to react.

She fell, though instinctively caught herself with both her hands and slowed her fall.

The ground beneath her echoed with a small thud.

And only silence remained for some time.

Until– the crowd started to erupt in cheers.

Laughter, with shouts of victory and disbelief filled outside our house.

[ Jane's ] opponent had won.

And [ Jane ], stunned and embarrassed— was left sitting on the cold, hard floor....

———————————————————

I shifted my gaze towards the boy who had lost his seat to [ Jane ].

He stood in the corner, away from the crowd, his small frame hunched as if trying to disappear.

His mother approached, her heels clicking against the floor— sharp, unforgiving.

Her voice came low, tight with restrained frustration.

"See? Even if you had the chance, you still wouldn't have won."

Her mom lectured his son, clearly irritated by the irresponsibility her son displayed.

Although, her simple words struck harder than any loss.

"…But I could have won… if I just had a chance."He replied in a shaky breath– barely audible....

Clearly meant only for himself.

His mother's reaction clearly didn't discern his words.

Or maybe she chose not to.

Instead, she sighed, shaking her head before walking away, leaving him standing there– alone.

[ ... ]

———————————————————

I took a step toward [ Jane ], a grin already tugging at my lips.

Then, I burst out laughing.

"Wellll— I told you to change your bingo card this year." I teased, nudging her playfully.

She didn't laugh.

Instead, she shot me a glare.... Sharp and unreadable.

As if she wanted to say something but swallowed the words before they could escape.

She dusted off her clothes, her movements steady, deliberate.

Then, with a tone just as even, she replied, "At least I made it to the final round– Not like someone who didn't even place third."

"Heyyy— that's–" I opened my mouth to argue, but the words never came. She had a point.

I scratched the back of my neck, searching for a comeback, but found nothing.

So instead, I asked, "Hey… that round with the boy.... the one where he fought you for the chair. Did he actually sit first?" My voice came quieter than I expected.

She paused.

The air around us seemed to change— heavier and weighted.

Jane didn't answer right away.

She simply looked at me.

Then, after a long silence, she said—