THE BOY I LOVED

soonhoon 18

"What about your family Jihoon? What do they do?"

The sudden question from Soonyoung's dad stopped the chopsticks that were about to grab a big chunks of noodles in them. The shorter didn't looked up from his food, much to Soonyoung's surprise, his writer stared at the bowl, shuffling his chopsticks as if he was trying mixing something already mixed in Soonyoung's eyes.

It was obvious from the sight that the shorter was taken aback. Soonyoung could tell the way his lips would part as if he was about to say something but no words would make it's way from his throat. Soonyoung never really asked Jihoon about his family before so he really didn't know what was wrong. He was curious but his curiousness was not that important than Jihoon's own will.

He turned to his father, the older already looking at him with an apologetic expression. He was regretting asking the question, Soonyoung could tell the way his lips were pressed own in a thin, appealing smile. The older then tried to divert the question when Soonyoung signed him to, "By the way i was thinking if-"

"My mom and dad got seperated when I was barely fifteen." The sudden confession from Jihoon's side made the atmosphere dead silent. when no spoke anything much to Jihoon's expectations, he continued.

"As they got divorced, they remarried soon, choosing seperate ways to their life. I, honestly, didn't fit in both. I was then sent to bording school and then in hostel of college when I finally graduated from my school period."

He then scoffed at his own words, as if the words which almost made Soonyoung freeze on his seat were funny to him. The latter saw the former moving his chopsticks in the noddles again, almost disinterested by the fact that he has food in front of him. The thought were much bitter to make him forget his appetite, "I always knew I was a burden to them but I am still thankful for the fact that even after much bickering, they did pay for my fees." The shorter sighed heavily, his words slipping of his mouth as if he almost forgot there were people sitting with him on the table, "I don't remember when was the last time I saw them or barely had a single word conversation with them. It's more like we both are forgetting we exist in eachother's life and I am much pleased by the fact."

It was the moment when Soonyoung kept his hands on Jihoon's thighs, giving them a light squeeze, which did make Jihoon flinch, taking few seconds to realise he was muttering something he shouldn't have.

He looked over Soonyoung, the boy who had this worried expression over his face Jihoon wasn't able to picture people doing for him. He, all of sudden felt guilty for going overboard, speaking cheerfully while looking at the father and son duo, "It's not that much of a big deal though! I am happier now, I have my own house, my own people, must I say life couldn't be more easy."

He then cheered while digging into his food, leaving Soonyoung's father looking at his son in nothing but dismay. When the older thought he couldn't feel more guilty, the smile on Jihoon's face proved otherwise.

A sudden attempt of clearing throat made Jihoon look up at his manager's father. The older smiling at him warmly, "You know Jihoon, Soonyoung's mom died when he was just five. I was devasted then, too immersed in myself that I almost forgot I had a child to take care of."

The words caught the younger off-guard. His eyes automatically travelled over Soonyoung, the man who was smiling while looking down. The smile hid a pain, but a pain that was long subsided and just was a memory to him.

But to his father, it was a fresh wound, "I was a terrible dad, i mean I still am but Soonyoung is not allowed to say that." The older playfully glared at his son, the younger nodding and leaving a 'roger that sir!' at him.

He then continued again, "I remember how bad I was when it came to preparing his lunch boxes, his cooking skills are this good because I was terribly worst at it. My company was falling apart, i didn't know what to do. Leave everything I myself didn't knew how to dress him up for school."