Case 1

He put the blade up to the side of his neck, ready to slit. Yet he hesitated. He couldn't do it. No. He still had contributions to be made, paybacks to the ones he owed. And boy, did he owe a lot of people. No, he couldn't die, yet.

So he lowered it to his heart. Surely if he could sell his heart, then the money could be used to repay his debt, couldn't it? Yet how could he sell his heart if he was dead? He could ask his friend, but he feared his friend would run away with the money. Ask his family? Oh no, they would be horrified at his death. No, he couldn't stab his heart out either.

His hand was the next option. If he could cut the skin of it, he'd suffer. His blood he wanted to see, his suffering he so craved. But he couldn't. Just imagine, what his family would say, how would they react upon seeing the pool of blood dripping from his arm, not to mention the scar. No. That was not an option either.

He couldn't, he couldn't play with the blade as he wanted to. Not with his immeasurable amount of debt on him. Not with his family, friends and relatives, who depended on him and whom he depended on. Never could he let them down. He had to be brave, be courageous, a role leader.

No, news of his dilemma, of his problem couldn't get out to his friends and family. Could you imagine, him, the eldest son, being a disappointment to his family? He couldn't. He was to be the very best, to guide and lead the younger ones. Or else, what purpose in life did he have? Would he have any then? No, he was sure the answer was "no". His sole purpose was to guide and lead.

So he thought, if he had finished, accomplished his job of guiding and leading, then he might, he may as well die, having completed, fulfilled his goal, his purpose. Yet it dawned on him, his job could never be completed.

So he couldn't die, not before his siblings died. What if he killed his siblings? No, that would go against his purpose. He... No. He could not die yet.

Yet as he remained alive, a conflict built up in him, his sole purpose and his hidden purpose, one that should never have existed. Could he stand it? He could, and he should, everyone else said to him.

"He's young." "He's talented." "Take care of your siblings."

Those words, those sentences were etched, stuck in his head.

He... Still lived. He still lived to see another day. He just couldn't bear the grief his family would face. No....