Memory Writeups for AFD

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Memories in the comments.

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04. "Your father named you Yue."

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It was a quiet afternoon. Father had gone out with Sae to get ice cream, and you were spending time with Mom. You didn't mind spending time with Mom so much. She didn't hit you, and sometimes she'd even smile and tell you that she loves you. Of course, she never stopped Father when he hit you, but you'd take any break you could get. It's not like you ever got many, after all. Mom's flipping through a scrapbook, showing you happy memories caught on film. There were a lot of them before you were born, page after page of Sae. Mom told you that it happened a lot in families: The oldest kid would have every single moment caught by a camera because parents were so captivated. The second kid wouldn't get quite as many, but that didn't mean their parents didn't love them as much. You think she's deluding herself on that last point, but you weren't going to argue. She points at one picture, the earliest family portrait with you in it. Father and Sae are smiling, and Mom's holding you— you were just a baby then. Sae's reaching out to hold your hand, and you were grabbing it with all of your tiny, baby might. "See," Mom was saying, "this is from when you were just born. Your name 'Yue' was given to you by your father. It matches your sister's name, too...." Your heart caught in your throat, or so it felt. "Father... gave me my name?" It was such a small thing, this lifeline. But you decided you would cling to this hope. If Father gave you that name, then maybe one day.... ....one day.....