Hoshino POV:
By the time I arrived home, it was already 10:38 pm. I usually didn't get home this late on a weekday, but I was rehearsing the three-legged race with Mei and then hung out with Yu and Luna after.
I expected to be welcomed home with the same tension that I had left behind this morning. But instead, the moment I stepped through the front door, I was met by a strange amount of noise.
There wasn't any chatter. But it sounded like... they were having dinner together. The *clack* of chopsticks, the sharp *crunch* of fried dough, and the *thud* of a cup meeting the dinner table filled the house.
I quietly walked into the living room and found the three of them—Mom, Dad, and Lily—together at the dinner table.
No one turned around, and no one greeted me. No one could afford to, not yet, at least. The sole exception to this rule was Dad.
He probably would have done the same thing as the other two, but since his seat gave him a clear view of the living room entrance, he had no choice but to greet me. He greeted me with a silent nod. I returned the gesture.
It looks like things will get back to normal soon.
Without lingering for too long, I went upstairs, took a quick shower to scrub the day's grime off, and joined them in their silent dinner.
I don't know how it is for other families, but when we eat spring rolls, our preferred sauce is some sort of homemade fish sauce my Mom made.
As Mom dipped her spring roll into the sauce and took a bite, a small drop of the sauce trickled down her lip.
Mom became as still as a statue, preventing the sauce from falling on her clothes or the dinner table.
Fish sauce—despite being good—was the type of substance that could only be described as a pain. It had a distinct scent, accompanied by its sticky texture, making it extremely unpleasant if it got on your skin and difficult to clean.
She stared at her lip, then at the box of napkins on the opposite side of the table. Since I was closest to it, it would have been my job to get it.
But tonight, Dad moved first. He grabbed a napkin from the box and wiped Mom's lip for her with the same obnoxious, childish smile.
After making sure she was all clean, he returned to his meal without uttering a single word.
The *crunch* of the spring rolls and the *clack* of chopsticks filled the room once more.
That was until—
"...Thank you," Mom muttered, muffled under the curtain of noise.
We continued moving as if we hadn't heard. But Lily's *crunch* became just a bit louder, Mom moved with just a bit more ease, and Dad had a satisfied grin for the remainder of the meal.
Once we were all done, we dispersed into our own rooms and called it a night. Well, Lily and Dad did. Mom and I were night owls.
I was biding my time reading some terrible romcoms in my bed until my eyelids felt heavy. I closed them a bit longer than usual and didn't wake up until the next day.
***
*BZZZZT* *BZZZZT* *BZZZZT*
My eyes opened. I blinked, the unrecognizable blurs slowly stitching themselves together. There, I saw my phone vibrating in my hand. I was receiving an incoming call.
Before I could pick up, the call ended.
It was Sunday morning, which meant that there was no school, and therefore no need to wake up this early. I tried closing my eyes, but the embrace of sleep never came to me. It was one of those days where your body and eyes refused to move, but you just couldn't sleep.
…Just my luck.
While I would have loved nothing more than to sleep in, if I wasn't going to sleep, there was no point lying here.
I reluctantly sat up in my bed and let out a loud yawn, allowing the morning drowsiness to seep away from my mind.
After basking in the comfort of my bed for just a bit longer, I got up and got my day started.
As I brushed my teeth, I checked my phone to see who had called me. I was expecting it to be Yu or Luna, but to my surprise, it was the student council president. He and I exchanged numbers when all of us went to get dinner after the basketball game.
A small notification popped up on my phone screen. It was from the prez, and it read:
I'd normally say no since I wasn't really keen on the idea of using my free time to help out with school. But seeing how Remi, Yu, and Luna all said yes, I was coerced into extending a helping hand as well.
Whatever. Let's just get this over with.
I quickly finished my morning routine and got changed. Today I felt like dressing more casually, so I wore baggy, ashy cargo pants, a black semi-tight long-sleeved shirt, and a dangling silver earring.
After grabbing my phone, wallet, and earbuds, I made my way downstairs.
As I approached the living room, the faint sounds of chatter grew louder and louder.
When I finally arrived downstairs, that was when I saw it. Mom and Dad were having a small conversation as he ate the breakfast she prepared for him at the dining table.
They were so caught up on it, in fact, that they failed to notice me standing right there.
A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
I'm not emotionless. Of course, I'd be happy to see my parents getting along again. It was better than the alternative, at least.
Besides, I knew it had been a long time since Mom and Dad were able to talk to each other alone. They probably need it.
I held my breath as I reached the door, sliding into my shoes without making a sound.
Before I left the house, I looked back one last time. While it wasn't as loud as it was before the fight, the house once again contained laughter.
See? Time is cruel.
And just like that, I left the house—just like always.