The Good News

I have never deadlifted two hundred kilograms before.

But today, I’m going to give it a try.


I picked up sixty kilograms of plates from the plate row.


I sat, and rolled them onto the bar.


After a minute.


My hands were trembling because of the fear I experienced two months ago. I was trying to deadlift this same bar and my life almost ended.

I almost stopped breathing from the blackout while I was trying to deadlift this freaking-heavy bar.

I just wanted to lift the bar for ten seconds because of my stupid pride and ego, but I wasn't sure that I could lift it for ten seconds.

I had a feeling that those ten seconds would be the hardest and longest ten seconds I would ever live.
Even longer than the ten seconds that when I wet the bed ten years ago, and mom scolded me like my life depended on it.


Sweat dripped on the floor, the calluses on my palm were red. But, I cleared my throat, calmed my breath.

I rolled my hands on the bar, gripped it hard, I let out a breath, looking at the window in front of me, it was two o'clock in the night.
This time I had a feeling that I would lift it, I looked at the bar, closed my eyes, inhaled and lifted it…

My posture straightened,my calluses on my palms were hurting, I gripped my teeth.

“Just ten seconds more, and I'll drop it. My breaths were calm.

Those ten seconds were the longest ten seconds I had felt in my entire life,

My eyes were closed, at the last five seconds, my hands were trembling, my calluses were hurting like they felt real pain today.

I was staring at the ceiling. I was on the verge of crying because of the pain.

“Just two seconds more…” I muttered.


Two seconds passed.

But I didn't drop the bar, because I believed in an online video that, If I dropped it, I'd never be a real man. Yes… it was a stupid decision..

I controlled my breath.

I was slowly putting down the bar on the floor but my back slightly snapped, my lower back almost cracked. I shouted as I heard my back snapping! “It hurts!!!” I dropped the bar instantly, and I ran towards the sofa but the blackout from lifting this heavy bar kicked up and my vision started going back, and before I knew it, I dropped on the floor and passed out…


I slowly opened my eyes.

The gym was still quiet, there was still no one in the gym other than me.


I lifted myself up with the support of my hands,
I closed my eyes again because of the gym’s lighting that was hitting me in the eyes, I exhaled and my back hurt.
“It hurt!” I clicked my tongue.
I blinked and slowly opened my eyes. I stood up, and walked towards the sofa, my phone was on the table, I picked it up and looked at it, it was 4 o’clock in the morning.

“I slept for two hours?” I murmured.


“It’s late, I should go to sleep now.”


I looked behind at the exit door and I saw the bar tilted, just left there, and I knew that I won… at least the battle.

I waved my hair with my hand.

“I deadlifted it today, I’m the strongest after all.”


I sighed and went towards the charging port to pick up the charger for scrolling a bit.

I looked at the sofa and my shirt was there.


“Maybe I'll just get a shower before going to bed.”


I plugged out the charger from the charging port, and my phone rang.

I felt a sensation in my whole body as i heard my awkward ringtone, my ringtone was set on an older woman giving an asmr and repeating that come here, let’s cuddle.

A realization hit me that how cringe and awkward this ringtone was…


“I’ll change it later…”


I looked at my phone and the call was from my dad.


“Dad? Why’s he calling me this late?”


I picked up the call.

“What is it, father?” I said.


There were strange voices coming from his microphone, women were laughing and lightly moaning..


I realized what was happening there…


“Father, am I audible?” I said again.



A door was opened and a closed sound came from his microphone and there was silence.


“Father?” I said.

“Yes,” My father said. ”Am I audible now?”


“Yes.” I said.


“What was he doing anyway?”


“What happened, father?” I asked him. “You don’t call me often and when you call me, it’s at strange times.”

After his company went big, our connection slowly closed and went far away from each other. He wasn’t even calling for months for some time.
Well, I know that he’s busy but at least he can call me in a week or two.
And when calls me it’s on times like that where some strange voices always come from his microphone.

“Nothing,” he said.”I just wanted to check on my son and give good news.”


“Good news?”


“Is this really the time for it?” I muttered. “It’s 4 o’clock in the morning.”


“Well,” My father remarked. “Don’t be so angry, I just wanted to check on my little child Ryoma.”


I clicked my teeth because I was irritated when I heard those words, I realized he was drunk.
In a few months, he even forgot my real name that my mom gave me, I think… he’s even forgetting my mom slowly, that was the world for us…

“My name is not Ryoma,” I said on the phone call. “My name is Mahiro, did you even start to forget that?”


“And, why are you even forgetting mom? Didn’t you say that she was the whole world for you?”



“What are you even doing?” I muttered.”Cheating on mom?”


“That will never happen, Mahiro.” He said on the phone.

My eyes widened, but I knew that he was lying because someday that will happen eventually…

“Yes,” My father said.”I wanted to give you some good news.”


“What good news?” I said.


There was a silence for a few seconds on the phone call.


“Father, are you still there or have you passed out? I said.

My father cleared his throat.

“Yes, now I'm connecting right?” My father said,



“Yes.” I said.


“I wanted to tell you that…” My father said,


I knew that it would not be something good, it would be something like he’s going to get married to some new woman because my late mom is not there now…
But I still listened to him… because he’s my father…


“You have gotten your admission in the high school where Yuna has gotten her admission.”


My eyes widened and the floor from my feet crumbled and turned into a flower field, with strong but calm winds.
I was shocked just hearing those words and skipped my breath.
My long-tempted wish was finally fulfilled and I was so happy and the adrenaline rush was so fast that I felt like I could even deadlift four hundred kilograms.



“Are you s-serious?” I shouted on my phone, looking at my father’s name on the phone [Will forget him.]