WE {TINCAN ff}

Departure

'You-'

Grandmother breathed out fast. Her eyes wide, gaping at Tin's uncomfortable stand, one of her hands on her chest calming her down from the shock. She eyed him up and down and behind him, she looked for Can. But she noticed, it was just the latter. She was sure that it could've been a panic attack for her, but somehow she managed herself to stand still with her back erect. And they were only inches apart. Only divided by a few steps, but huge gap. Her eyes were nowhere looking at Tin but here and there, they couldn't make it to look into his eyes.

She licked her lips and they twitched.  The saliva hanging from the top of her mouth to beneath of her tongue faintly disappeared, but Tin just stood there still, one of his hand grasping the wooden wall to not fall as his tall height didn't compromised the small stairs. He noticed, the old woman's eyes were very red, and her face wet with the sorrowing tears, he knew. He just did. And yes, he indeed was impatient to ask her about what, after that was said and done his parents called now? And what do they finally need from him? And just this wasn't new to him, it had been done long before.

His mother used to only call him for her parties to show him off, and his father for about his studies and that was it. But this was different, they knew he wasn't there. They knew he was absent, and the whole thing didn't made sense with him. He didn't even care if he had to abandon his last name and live as a commoner with his lover.

'I was just thirsty..'

He spoke and his hand made a fist with his veins popping out, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at her for an answer. He didn't knew how to start a conversation as he was certain, for she was smart. She would surely tell him, and that he could rely on her.

'Y-yes, surely, son. Come..' She finally spoke and led him, with her half hearty smile, wiping her tears from her face, hearing Tin's big and heavy steps behind of her. The boy's eyes seemed to fall on the old man passed out on the couch, but the heavy and grief thoughts on his head couldn't ask why, he didn't stopped and went on. And as they together entered the kitchen, she signaled Tin to settled himself on the chair which was fairly quite small for him, but he had managed. Certain that the chair belonged to Yang Xi.

The water filling the glass was quiet and pleasant in the silence, but it was the opposite, the eerie sound of insects was still heard outside of the house. And ever since Tin had eavesdropped the conversation between The Grandmother and his parents, his sleep went away and he was fully awake in the dark. The slow slam of the glass on the table before him made him come out of his loud thinking. And without any thank Tin only smiled ruefully, pitying himself.

Grandmother, on the other hand sat opposite of him on the dining chair slowly. Her fingers were playing with one another, and her anxiety was surely visible. And she couldn't understand how she could talk with him after spending so many days of peace.

'I'm sorry..,' Tin begun, which The Grandmother was expecting, she opened her mouth to say something but Tin cut her off with respect, 'I shouldn't have eavesdropped..'

'No, no..' The old woman only could whisper merely, she shook her head lighter and with her lips trembling she spoke, 'You have the whole right, Tin. You see, your parents, they-'

'Are coming here?' He cut her off. His eyebrows furrowed, his voice stern but yet very soft. And this wasn't what he was expecting, no. He would not increase problems for Can's family. This was the only thought in his mind. That he would not increase problems for Can's family.

'No, no, of course they're not. I-I refused, you see, they just want you back..' She whispered the last part, for she didn't knew the boy's reaction if she said that. Their personalities were strikingly similar, and yet they found it difficult to communicate.