Mia recounts a pivotal day in her life that would forever define her family. The narrative unfolds with the return of her brother, Eugene, who, due to a non-speaking genetic disorder, communicates through actions rather than words. The day takes a dark turn when Eugene rushes home after a walk with their father, Adam, but Adam is conspicuously absent. Mia, anticipating Adam’s arrival, is alarmed by Eugene’s behavior, which includes pushing her to the ground before retreating to his room.
Eugene, who wears a perpetual smile, exhibits a challenging-to-interpret demeanor. Mia, expecting Adam to follow Eugene home, is perturbed when the footsteps she hears turn out to be a deliveryman, not her father. As the day progresses, Hannah (Mia’s mother) and John (Mia’s twin) return home. Mia notices blood on Eugene, prompting her to care for him while awaiting Adam’s return. However, the situation takes a dire turn when the police arrive, led by Detective Janus, revealing Eugene’s involvement in a traffic collision earlier that day.
As Mia grapples with the unfolding events, she becomes increasingly concerned about Adam’s disappearance. The search for him intensifies, and the discovery of a bag in the rapids containing a notebook with the initials “H.Q.” sparks further intrigue. Mia recalls intellectual conversations with her father about the “Happiness Quotient” and begins to piece together Adam’s experiments on children, aiming to understand the correlation between expectations and happiness.
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