PROLOGUE

12 years ago

It was a bright sunny day when the Lewis family decided to spend their weekends on the beach that is not so far from the main city.

It's almost sunset when the seven-year-old twins, Gulf and Nattalie decided to play along the shore. They are collecting seashells. Their parents are looking at them from afar.

"Gup, look over there!"

Nattalie points her little finger towards the shore where the seashells are.

They run towards it and Gulf reminded his younger twin to be careful.

"Nat, be careful so you won't get hurt. I will get it for you." Gulf told her.

"Okay, be careful too."

He carefully walks through the sand. He picked up one of the seashells and show it to his sister who claps excitedly. While Gulf is busy picking up the shells, something shiny caught Nattalie's eyes. It was a bottle. She went to it without telling her brother. When Gulf looks behind him, his sister is nowhere to be seen. He look around and fears engulfed him seeing her sister walking towards the sea. He starts shouting.

"Natt! Come back!" he keeps on shouting while running to where his sister is heading.

"Oh, my! Nattalie! Gulf!" Their mother screamed. She runs towards the sea with her husband.

"Natt, stop! It's dangerous,' Gulf shouted.

"I'm just going to get something, Gup," Nattalie insisted but unfortunately, a wave came and carried her far from the shore.

'Nattalie!"  He screamed and hurriedly swim towards her sister. but what can a seven-year-old do with big waves? Their father reached to him first because he is nearer.

"P-papa, Nat... H-help, Nat," He fell unconscious after. His father carried him back to the shore. The other tourists who went to help are the ones who got Nattalie.

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He woke up and sat abruptly. He saw his papa sitting beside his bed.

"Pa! Nat? What happened to Nat? Where is she?" Gulf asked with tears in his eyes. His papa wiped his tears. Seeing his father's reaction, he knew it already.

"No, no. Not Nat. P-please, papa, tell me it's not true," he begged, crying. Alvic hugs him, comforting him but it's no use. He keeps muttering Nat's name and keeps on apologizing. His papa pulled away and hold his face.

"Stop it, son. It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself," his papa said but he keeps shaking his head disagreeing.

"It's m-my fault. I am a bad brother. I-I shouldn't-" he keeps sobbing hard. For a seven-year-old, Gulf is a smart kid. He skipped levels. He fainted due to excessive crying.

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'Mama must be mad at me.' Gulf thought. It's been two days since the accident and his mother never came to visit him.

"Hi, son. How are you?" his papa came and kissed his head. Alvic noticed his sadness. "What is it, son?"

"Papa, does mama hates me?" his papa was taken aback by his question. He is worried if his wife came and said something bad while he's gone.

"What made you say that, hm?" Alvic asked caressing his head.

"She didn't visit me. She's mad, right?" Gulf asked.

"You are her son. She can't be mad at you. Just give her time. She's just hurt. She'll come around," His papa said but he is not convinced.

He got discharged the following day. When they get home, he expected to be greeted by his mama. He misses his mother so much but the moment his mother saw him...

"You! Why are you here?" She yelled at him.

"May!" Alvic said in a warning tone. She turned to her husband.

"Why did you bring him here? I told you I don't want to see him ever again. Because of him, my Nattalie died," May said crying.

Like what Gulf thought, his mama is mad at him. His mother fell into depression. They had to bring her to a facility. When Gulf turned ten, he visited his mom after a lot of pleadings to his papa. That time, Gulf had shoulder-length hair. He never cut his hair short since the accident. When his mother saw him, she starts crying hard and for the first time, Gulf was embraced by her. Though his mother thought of him as his twin sister. Since then, he started to pretend as his dead sister for the sake of his mother. His father is against it but, this is all he can do for his mother.

When Gulf turned fifteen, his father disappeared. The police said that he is dead but he doesn't believe it. They didn't find a body that proves he is dead. He went to his mother at the facility and cry his heart out.

"It's okay, Nattie. Mama is here. Your father is with your big brother now." He cried more. He doesn't blame his mama. Sometimes he wanted to shout at his mother but no matter how much the pain is, the love he has for his mother still wins. Since then, he lives like that. The only family love that he gets is from his best friend Miko's family. They treated him as their own. The money that his father left is secured in an account that is named after him.

He is now 19 years old and in his last year in college. As long as he can, he never uses the money. He's keeping it for an emergency. He's always on scholarships and he is a working student. He is currently working at a café shop that is owned by his best friend. He is a co-owner. It was a gift for both of them from Miko's parents...

For a man like him, all he ever wanted is to be acknowledged by his mom as him and not as his deceased twin sister. And also, to find what happened to his father.