Inability to break free from family and past leads the lone wolf to embark on a journey of self-discovery in hopes of becoming stronger and more independent.

The CIAB begins with the teen choosing to start with a quote by Alexander Dumas:

There is neither happiness nor misery in the world;

There is only the comparison of one state with another, nothing more.

The quote is read in a robotic tone by the teenager, which evokes a poignant sense of emotional disconnection and yearning for something more. This behavior reflects the heavy expectations often placed on Asian children to be obedient and to serve their families without question, a burden that can feel isolating and overwhelming. It is an obedience that is automatic, without questioning, without feeling, like a robot may experience – programmed to fulfill their parents’ wishes.

However, the teenager’s choice of the song “Lo Que Siento” by Cuco reveals their deep desire to break free from these constraints and to discover love, a testament to their hope for a brighter, more fulfilling future. It’s a reminder of the inner struggle many face while trying to forge their own identities amidst societal pressures.

Oye cariño, solo pienso en ti

(Hey baby, I only think about you)

When I wake up in the morning

until I go back to sleep

How I wish you were mine,

I think of you all the time.

An echo is added to the lines:

Sin ti mis días son largos y se sienten

tan amargos, Me ahogo en un lago

de mis lágrimas que hago 

Without you, my days are long and feel so bitter, I drown in a lake of my tears that I make.

The echo reverberates through the stillness, reflecting the sense of loneliness and the  feeling of drowning in sadness. The lone wolf’s CIAB conveys a  sense of being trapped, highlighting their struggle and isolation. 

Guess my mind is a prison,

and I’m never gonna get out.

So they tranquilized me,

analyzed me

Threw me back in my cage.

The teen adds a reverb in the next song, “Mind is a Prison” by Alec Benjamin:

I found, Scaled the side of the buildin’,

I ran to the hills ’til they found me,

And they put me back in my cell,

all by myself.

The “cell” represents that feeling of being unable to break free from their obligations as they watch others move forward without them. The song continues:

The older I get, the more that I see,

My parents aren’t heroes,

they’re just like me,

And loving is hard,

it don’t always work,

You just try your best not to

get hurt

I used to be mad

but now I know,

Sometimes it’s better to let

someone go

It just hadn’t hit me yet.

The final song Older by Sasha Alex Sloan further emphasizes –

Sometimes it’s better to let

someone go.

It just hadn’t hit me yet

The older I get