Serena suddenly wasn't in Heartslabyul's rose maze anymore. The world around her had turned grey, and only she was still in full color. She was in a house, a dining room, to be exact. It was decorated with some balloons and a paper chain that said "Happy Birthday". A birthday? But where were all the people then?

She only saw two. A woman and a child. That child was Riddle, and he was wearing a party hat. There were only two plates. It was a sad, little birthday party with just the two of them.

"Happy eighth birthday, Riddle!" The woman said. That must be his mom. "This year's birthday cake is a low-sugar recipe made with nuts and lecithin-rich soy flour to improve your cerebral function."

Serena was taken aback. She was a college student studying forensic science, and she only understood half of what that woman just said. This must be Riddle's memories, Serena rationalized. How she got here, she didn't know, but maybe she'll be able to understand him if she watched.

"Thank you. But Mom..." The little Riddle said, hesitant. "Just once, I'd like to try one of those tarts covered with bright-red strawberries..."

"Absolutely not!" Riddle's mother exclaimed sternly. "Those tarts are monstrously unhealthy. I might as well feed you poison! Even just a single slice would exceed your recommended daily intake of sugar."

"Dramatic much?" Serena commented, but they couldn't hear her. Naturally, since this already happened.

"Now, dinner tonight will be a tuna sauté rich in DHA and omega-3 fatty acids. Now that you're eight, your caloric intake should be 600 kilocalories per meal, so don't eat more than 100 grams of it. Understood?"

"Yes, Mom."

Suddenly, Riddle appeared next to her, looking ghostly. He was in his current, teenage body. Was that his soul? He stared out into nothingness, and didn't react to Serena as she tried to get his attention.

"I'd always wanted to try one of those tarts with the bright-red strawberries." The ghostly Riddle said. "The local cake shop had them in the window. They shined at me like forbidden jewels."

The scene shifted to a study room, where Riddle's mother and little Riddle just finished up a lesson. She gave him homework: To read the first fifty pages of the philosophy of language. That sounded like way too high material for an 8-year-old to Serena. Riddle's mother gave him an hour of independent study time while she prepared the next lesson.

"I was studying every possible subject, scheduled down to the minute. When I didn't understand something, the lesson would be extended until I did." Riddle explained. "That was my 'normal'."

Serena's heart clenched for Riddle. She couldn't imagine how hard it must've been for him.

Then, someone knocked at the window. It was little Trey and Chenya, asking little Riddle to play with them. "Let's all play croquet! Oh, but it's LOTS of fun!" Little Chenya exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.

"I can't." Riddle said. "I'm supposed to be doing independent study, and I have a lot of homework to do."

"'Independent study' means you pick what you do, right? My grandpa says play is a form of study." Chenya said. "Just play with us for a little bit!" Trey added. Hesitantly, Riddle agreed.

The Riddle next to Serena explained how Trey and Chenya would come over every day from that day on. He'd sneak out to play with them, and would sneak back in just before independent study time ended. Serena smiled, a bittersweet feeling in her chest. She was glad to know that Riddle hadn't been alone all his life, that he had his own little rebellious phase.

The scene shifted again to Trey, Chenya and Riddle playing on the street, talking about how Riddle had never had a strawberry tart before. Riddle explained that his mom said sugar was basically poison.

"I mean, you probably shouldn't eat too much of it, but calling it 'poison' is kinda... yikes." Trey commented, then suggested going to his family's cake shop. Riddle hesitated, knowing his mom would get angry if she found out, but in the end couldn't resist the temptation.

"A bright-red strawberry tart on a white plate. To me, it shined more brightly than any gem could." The teenage Riddle said. "That first bite was so sweet. It tasted like nothing I'd ever eaten before. With each bite, I became more entranced...

... and completely lost track of time."

Serena stiffened at that. She had just now seen his mother, but she could already tell that this wasn't gonna end well when the scene shifted back into Riddle's house again, his mother furiously yelling at the eight-year-old.

"I cannot believe this! Not only are you cutting independent study time, but I find you eating a mountain of sugar?!" His mother exploded, her hands flailing angrily as the little boy cowered before her. "Those two hoodlums must have incited this behaviour. You must never play with them again!"

"I'm sorry, Mother! I promise, it will never happen again." Riddle cried meekly, begging for forgiveness. Serena was so shocked that she also felt like begging for forgiveness, and she wasn't even really there.

"Be quiet! You've broken the rules, and I'll not hear another word from you." His mother yelled. "Clearly, you're not able to handle the freedom of independent study. I need to keep a closer eye on you."

The scene turned into a grey void.It was just Serena and Riddle now. Riddle just stared blankly ahead, his eyes filling with tears. "Because I broke the rules, my favourite part of the day was taken away from me." He said weakly. "I vowed to never break my mother's rules again. After all, she was the most accomplished mother in the city, and therefore, the most correct."

"No..." Serena whispered, cradling his face, though she couldn't actually touch him. "Riddle, this is not... it's not your fault at all... Your mother was wrong... so ridiculously wrong..."

Of course, Riddle didn't hear her, which made it so much worse. Then all of the sudden, Riddle looked Serena straight in the eyes. "But Mom... Why? Why does my heart hurt so much?"

Serena's own heart hurt too as she realized he was imagining his mother, not her.

"I want to eat a tart! It's my birthday, so can't I have some just this once? I want to play outside all day long! I want to make lots and lots of friends!" Riddle cried out all these desires he has kept locked up for years, tears flowing down his ghostly cheeks. Serena was overwhelmed with emotions and the deep desire to help this poor, broken child.

"Tell me, Mom, please..." Riddle begged under tears. "What rule do I need to follow to make this pain go away?"

"Riddle..." Serena said hoarsely, trying to pull him into a hug, but grabbing straight through him. She fell on her knees, hugging herself as she cried for him. She cried for the suffering he felt, for the help he so desperately needed but never received. She was angry at the adults in his life that never noticed his pain, never even considered that he was being abused. Why did nobody call child protection services on his mom? What was his father doing the whole time? Why did he have to suffer this much? To receive so much trauma that the idea that not being tied to rules could make him happier doesn't even cross his mind? Why did she have to see all this, why was she forced to watch this without being able to say a comforting word to him?

Trey's voice rang in the distance. "RIIDDLE! RIDDLE!"

The void around them collapsed, and Serena was back in Heartslabyul, still hovering over Riddle, who finally opened his eyes.