Path of the Extra

He won.

Leo won.

Leo won the tournament.

The fight had been even more difficult than the semifinal. His opponent was a nine-year-old with far more experience than him, but even then…

Leo was the one who won.

A nosebleed and a small fracture in his left hand was all it took, but…

He was finally free of it.

He could finally quit.

It was done.

And the best part was that both his mother and father had been there to watch him.

After winning, getting his wounds treated, receiving the trophy, going to a restaurant where his mother had to feed him because it was impossible for him to eat with his own two hands without literally starting to cry—that day finally ended.

It was, funnily enough, despite being one of the most physically painful days Leo had ever had, also one of the best days of his life. One filled with his family, all of them happy…

A happy family, where his parents were proud of him.

Leo had also gotten the role back when he auditioned the day after.

A week had officially passed since his win.

Lying on his bed, Leo kept grunting and moaning in frustration. He couldn’t sleep. His hand still throbbed.

Eventually, having had enough of it, Leo got up from his bed and left his room, heading to where his mom and dad were.

It was late at night, obviously, and the lights were off, but Leo knew the way even with his eyes closed.

When he reached his parents’ room, he noticed something that froze him in his tracks.

There was light leaking out from under the door.

“How many times—he—”

“I wo—budge—”

Even stranger, Leo could hear the voices of his mother and father coming through the door. They sounded like they were arguing. The words were muffled, but hearing them still made Leo feel anxious and scared.

“It’s for his sake!”

“Haaa… you keep saying that…”

He stepped closer to the door, and their voices grew clearer.

’Are Mom and Dad… fighting?’

His hand was still in pain, but he ignored it. Leo pressed his ear against the door.

“Just what gave you the right in the first place to decide all on your own to let him quit!?”

“I told you already, didn’t I? We made a deal. And he has fulfilled his end of the deal.”

“Like I give a shit about the deal you two made!”

Leo flinched at hearing her scream.

“You didn’t even bother to discuss this with me beforehand, just acting all on your own! Didn’t we both agree that it was best for Leo’s development if we let him do many things now?”

“We did, but you have to realise there is no point to this if he comes to hate doing all these things. Even if he is smarter than average, even for him it can sometimes be too much.”

“Smarter than average? Sometimes too much for him? Are you joking with me? He is not an average boy, Ronald. Leo is a monster!”

It was clear they were arguing about Leo quitting Muay Thai. His father hadn’t told his mother, and now they were fighting because of him…

’…I’m a monster…?’

“He is much smarter than my sister ever was! Don’t talk about how this is too much for him when my sister could handle more than this at his age. Leo has the potential to be the best at anything he tries. He is better than us. He is better than my sister could ever be! Even if he doesn’t like it, what does it matter? If he is the best, then that is enough, is it not? What better can there be?”

“…Your sister wanted to be the best for your parents’ sake as well… before she died, no?”

“..!”

“…”

’…Mom had a sister?’

This was the first time he had ever heard of it.

’…She’s… dead?’

For some reason Leo couldn’t hear anything anymore for a while, not until his dad spoke again, his voice softer.

“Sorry… that was insensitive of me. My emotions got the better of me.”

“You don’t understand…”

Suddenly Leo heard his mom’s voice again, this time quieter and strained.

“Before she took her own life… when we were little, the two of us were always compared to each other. But she wasn’t as smart as they made her out to be, she just worked really hard. She was so good at working hard. At being disciplined. She was much better than me at that, so everyone thought she was some kind of genius… and I wasn’t. It was like I wasn’t normal because I wasn’t a genius like her. And yet it was her who, in the end, couldn’t handle the pressure and hung herself right after getting accepted into one of the best universities in the world to become a doctor… But Leo is different. He has the capabilities. He is smart… He can do it. He can do what my sister couldn’t. He can be the best. He doesn’t have a choice.”

“Why doesn’t he? There are many other things in life besides being the best. He can be a normal kid…”

“You are wrong!”

She shouted again.

“He is not a normal kid!”

“…”

“You are almost never home because of your work! Do you understand how difficult it is to raise him alone while having to balance it with my own job? He can’t make any friends his age, he barely talks to anyone, he is always thinking about something and I have no clue what… He cut off a bird’s legs out of curiosity, for god’s sake! He is not normal! Those normal things that life offers aren’t meant for him… You haven’t even seen his skill with the piano. Give him one more year and he can already compete at national competitions! He is so far ahead in his classes that the teachers are always struggling to give him more, always calling me while I’m at work to talk about him. It’s troublesome. He is so troublesome. How can he be called a normal kid? Even if he wants to, he just isn’t, and he can’t escape that…”

Clenching his small fists even though his left hand hurt, Leo kept listening, feeling a strange ache in his chest.

’I’m not normal…’

“The only time that boy gives me any sort of relief is when I see him at least excelling.”

Leo looked down, pursing his lips.

’I’m causing Mom so much trouble… They’re fighting because of me…’

That was not what he wanted.

’I just—’

Before he could finish the thought, the door swung open.

“Leo…!?”

Leo looked up and flinched when he saw his mother. She stared at him as he took a small step back, her expression was a mix of shock, anger, and worry. There were dried tear marks on her face as well.

“What are you doing up so late!?”

She shouted.

“I-… I… I-I…”

He tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. He was too afraid and still processing what he had heard to form proper sentences. The thoughts were there in his mind, stubbornly refusing to leave.

Why? Why was he acting like this?

Was he really not normal? Just… just a monster?

“…Sorry.”

That was all he managed to get out.

“I… I’m sorry…”

Why? Why were there tears streaming down his face?

It was frustrating.

’I don’t understand. Why?’

’If I’m so smart, why can’t I understand something so simple…?’

’…I hate this. I hate this! I hate this! I hate this!’

“Leo!”

She shouted again, but this time it wasn’t out of anger.

She grabbed his left hand and dropped to her knees, staring at it with wide, worried eyes.

“Your hand! What happened!? Why is it so swollen!?”

“Huh…?”

Leo glanced at the hand she was holding. She was right. When had it gotten so big?

“I’ll get some ice.”

His father immediately headed out as his mother picked Leo up and carried him into their room, gently placing him on the bed.

“How did this happen…?”

She knelt in front of him, examining his hand with a pale, anxious look.

“Did you sleep on your hand?”

“…I… don’t know,” he mumbled quietly.

“This is not good… It might be inflamed. We’ll have to go to the hospital.”

“…Sorry.”

Leo apologized again, guilt eating at him.

“Leo. Stop crying.”

“…Sorry.”

Again, all he could do was apologize.

The tears just wouldn’t stop.

A moment later, he felt a soft cloth against his cheeks. She was gently wiping his tears away.

Leo looked up at her with a teary, confused expression. She looked back at him with a gentle, kind, unmistakably motherly gaze.

“You were listening, weren’t you…?”

Leo opened his mouth, then quickly closed it again.

To his surprise, his mother wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into an embrace.

“Sorry, Leo,” she whispered softly in his ear.

“I didn’t mean to scare you or sound mean…”

Her hug tightened, and Leo felt his body relax against her as he slowly closed his eyes.

“I can get too emotional when I’m tired sometimes. But Leo… I only say those things because I am your mother, and I naturally want the very best for you. You are not like the other children your age, Leo. You are different… and sometimes that makes me anxious, because I want to do right by you.”

Burying his face into her, Leo felt a deep sadness stir inside him at her words. At last, some proper words left his mouth.

“…Am I a burden to you, Mom?”

“No.”

She answered instantly, and Leo’s eyes opened, looking up at her. She gazed down at him warmly.

“You will never be a burden to me. Do not misunderstand, Leo. A mother will always worry about her child.”

“But—”

“It’s okay. You made a deal with Dad, right? It’s okay. You can quit if you don’t like any sports related to fighting.”

“…Really?”

“Really.”

A natural, small genuine smile appeared on his face. Yet, despite how hard she was trying, Leo noticed the small sadness in her eyes.

“…Mom, if I become the best, will you be happy?”

Her eyes widened slightly at his question before she smiled.

“Didn’t I tell you? I always want the best for you.”

“Okay…”

He buried his face against her again.

“I promise… I promise I’ll become the best… with the piano…”

“You must really like the piano.”

“Mhm.”

’Because you seem happiest when I play…’

“Then I can’t wait for that day to come.”

’Just watch me… Keep watching me…’

Until no one is above him.

…As long as she watched him, he would do it.

…That was how it was supposed to be.

…If only she watched him.

…If only that wretched thing wasn’t born.