Joong
I looked at the person who was deep in thought. The weather was brilliant, the wind helped to dry our shirt a bit from the long hours of swimming, playing water sports, and basking under the evening sun. We sat there looking at the endless wave and people who swarmed the beach in the weekends too.
"Are you hungry? I could get us some snacks from the stall there and also cold drinks", I asked him after some quiet time. He turned to look at me, smiled and nodded. I ran towards the stall, and ordered two burgers and soda. While waiting, my phone rang and I was confused looking at the name. Uncle Man never call unless he wanted to ask for permission to bring someone else into the house to help him do deep cleaning; once every three months.
"Hello, Uncle Man, anything I could be of help?", I greeted him politely.
"So, your number still work", the voice that talked back to me was none other than the very person whose call I'd ignored, every time.
"What do you want?", I asked back coldly.
"You greeted the servant politely, and yet treat your father liked this?"
"Respect is earned, not a given".
"Learnt some respect first, then you could teach me"
"I will, but definitely not from you. What do you want? If just to endlessly nag, I'll cut the call off".
"Where are you right now? I assumed not at your home..."
"If you already knew, then, what's all the fuss of calling?"
"I remember exactly telling you about the dinner arrangement with my friend's daughter".
"And, do you forget that I didn't agree? Don't choose and pick what you wanted to hear only".
"Sir, your burger's done", the hawker called for a payment. I nodded and handed him some cash, "the beach is too crowded, even with all the precaution and warning, eh? Be careful!", he said while handing me the returned cash.
"The beach? Are you...with Nine? You don't heed my warning at all?".
"Enough of that already! You can do whatever you want...", I shouted and ended the call. My courage was only to that extent, and after the call, I was again, thinking of what would happen to Nine's family. I walked with a heavy heart towards Nine. As soon as I was sitting at his side, I turned off the phone.
"Who's that on the phone? I could see your strickened face, even from here", Nine asked while opening a can of soda.
"Uncle Man. He..ah, needed to ask about something. You...want to check the call's record? ", I said and about to take the phone again, but Nine held my wrist, and shook his head.
"If you said it's Uncle Man, then...it's him...", he said, with an understanding smile. His eyes were wondering, but he chose not to push me. I sighed heavily, and pour out the anger on eating the innocent burger like a glutton. Nine ate the burger too, without any more question.
"Why didn't you tell me, that you have a dinner date, tonight?", he asked suddenly, causing me to cough, the meat was stucked in my throat which was already feeling tight, since the call from my father.
"How come, you knew?", I asked back after clearing my coughs with some water.
"I was called to your father's office, yesterday...asked to make sure, that specific engagement, must be logged in, into your schedule. But, let just tell your father, that I was a careless assistant, and...forgot", he said and smirked; as he wiped the water that was dripping on my chin.
