It feels as if it was only yesterday when I heard the sudden creaking of the wooden floor boards as he quickly ran down the stairs. Of course, he had to leave without saying a word, despite me telling him to wake me up beforehand. I jumped out of bed never before so fast and ran down the stairs. “YANNN”, I screamed at the top of my lungs as I flung open the door. “WHY WOULD YOU NOT TELL ME”. I was angry but I wasn’t much surprised. He was already about to get in the car when I rushed down. With him he brought 2 massive luggages that he struggled to fit into the trunk of the car. I smiled. “Have fun and make sure you take care of yourself, alright?” I shut the doors behind me as I saw his usual enormous grin he always had on his face when he didn’t know how to respond. We had our fights and our moments, but he was my cousin. He was the only person who truly understood me. As I slowly headed back upstairs I couldn’t bear to look in his room. It just didn’t feel right. It felt empty. The usual urge to go in his room and tease him for his Pokemon-themed sanctuary was gone. Of course, his room just had to be in the path of mine, but slowly with my back turned I slammed his door shut one last time. Yan is the reason why all my baby photos in the living room are of me wailing my eyes out. Yan is the reason why my parents think education is so important. Yan is the reason why I work so hard academically, hoping that one day my parents stop comparing me to him. Yan is the reason why my parents always kept a close eye on me. Yan is the reason why I laugh at dinner every time my Uncle makes fun of him for eating too much. Yan is the reason why my parents and his are so close. Besides those many reasons and many more, Yan has truly shaped the person I am today. From him, I learned to be resilient. Whenever I face setbacks, I draw on the perseverance I saw in Yan. Just like how he adapted to a new country and language upon immigrating here, I learned to confront my challenges head-on rather than shying away from them. Instead of shivering up, I always give it my all to overcome every obstacle. Through him, I learned to be truthful. Yan never hesitated to speak his mind, even if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I started to take responsibility and acknowledge my mistakes because I learned that although it may be easier to ignore them, being truthful to yourself shows that you're willing to grow. When he inevitably left for college, I felt that my best friend for all my life was gone. The same friend that stuck with me through my lowest and my highest, the same friend that caused chaos in my family. I remember how I always had a hatred towards him. I felt that he ruined my entire childhood, but I couldn’t be more wrong. I am beyond proud of who I am today because of him. Though he may never know the impact he had on me, I will always be grateful for him. He is a god sent brother that I never had. He is the sibling that my parents had always wished for but never got. He is my Brother.

It feels as if it was only yesterday when I heard the sudden creaking of the wooden floor boards as he quickly ran down the stairs. Of course, he had to leave without saying a word, despite me telling him to wake me up beforehand. I jumped out of bed never before so fast and ran down the stairs. “YANNN”, I screamed at the top of my lungs as I flung open the door. “WHY WOULD YOU NOT TELL ME”. I was angry but I wasn’t much surprised. He was already about to get in the car when I rushed down. With him he brought 2 massive luggages that he struggled to fit into the trunk of the car. I smiled. “Have fun and make sure you take care of yourself, alright?” I shut the doors behind me as I saw his usual enormous grin he always had on his face when he didn’t know how to respond. We had our fights and our moments, but he was my cousin. He was the only person who truly understood me. As I slowly headed back upstairs I couldn’t bear to look in his room. It just didn’t feel right. It felt empty. The usual urge to go in his room and tease him for his Pokemon-themed sanctuary was gone. Of course, his room just had to be in the path of mine, but slowly with my back turned I slammed his door shut one last time. Yan is the reason why all my baby photos in the living room are of me wailing my eyes out. Yan is the reason why my parents think education is so important. Yan is the reason why I work so hard academically, hoping that one day my parents stop comparing me to him. Yan is the reason why my parents always kept a close eye on me. Yan is the reason why I laugh at dinner every time my Uncle makes fun of him for eating too much. Yan is the reason why my parents and his are so close. Besides those many reasons and many more, Yan has truly shaped the person I am today. From him, I learned to be resilient. Whenever I face setbacks, I draw on the perseverance I saw in Yan. Just like how he adapted to a new country and language upon immigrating here, I learned to confront my challenges head-on rather than shying away from them. Instead of shivering up, I always give it my all to overcome every obstacle. Through him, I learned to be truthful. Yan never hesitated to speak his mind, even if it wasn’t what I wanted to hear. I started to take responsibility and acknowledge my mistakes because I learned that although it may be easier to ignore them, being truthful to yourself shows that you're willing to grow. When he inevitably left for college, I felt that my best friend for all my life was gone. The same friend that stuck with me through my lowest and my highest, the same friend that caused chaos in my family. I remember how I always had a hatred towards him. I felt that he ruined my entire childhood, but I couldn’t be more wrong. I am beyond proud of who I am today because of him. Though he may never know the impact he had on me, I will always be grateful for him. He is a god sent brother that I never had. He is the sibling that my parents had always wished for but never got. He is my Brother.