Uncover • Huang Renjun

36.

"Welcome back boys!" 

Renjun and Jaehyun are met with the cheerful voice of Jaehyun's mom. Renjun stops in the doorway while Jaehyun cheerfully goes in for a hug. With his signature blank face, he shoots a pointed look at Soojung, his mother. She replies with the same look.

"Don't give me that look. You were gone for the entire day! What was I supposed to do? Wait for a kidnapper's call?"

Renjun raises an eyebrow at the reasoning. "The first people you call when I'm getting kidnapped are Uncle Dae and Aunt Xiening? Not your nephew who's literally a police officer?"

Xiening puts her hands on the hips. "I feel offended." Her husband, Daehyun, lets out a deep laugh. "I don't."

"I don't either." Jaehyun replies brightly in an equally deep voice. 

"That's my boy!" Daehyun high fives his son.

Renjun's eyes and lips straighten into a thin line as he judges all the adults present in the room.

"I'll be in my room then. No one's invited."

Soojung grabs hold of Renjun's hoodie and pulls him back to make him face everyone. "You are not going anywhere. Where are your manners? Greet them properly."

Renjun sighs but bows and says hello regardless. Daehyun pats the space beside him on the sofa. "I haven't seen you in so long Renjun-ah, you grew up so much! Come, let's catch up."

Renjun sends a resentful glare towards the kitchen where Jaehyun has joined his aunt and mom. Mentally preparing himself, he drags his feet and silently sits down.

"So tell me, how's your studies going? You'll be completing high school right?"

"Actually, I'll be joining college."

"Really? My my, last I saw you; you were still struggling with algebra. Now you're already going off to college?" Daehyun pauses thoughtfully. "Time does fly indeed. So, what are you planning to study?"

"Err..."

"Hopefully not law." Daehyun comments absentmindedly. "My sister's suffered enough. Wouldn't want her to go through the same pain again-" He stops abruptly, checking Renjun's expressions. "Ah my bad, I keep forgetting you don't like talking about your dad." 

"It's... okay." Renjun replies stiffly. "I-"

"Dae, you got Renjun to speak more than a word?" Soojung asks curiously as she puts down a pot of chicken noodle soup. Jaehyun and Xiening follow with bowls, cutlery and side dishes. 

Ignoring his mother's query, Renjun sighs in relief. His eyes then fall on the set of dishes and his lips part slightly. "Mom, I had dinner already."

Soojung stops all her movement. "You had dinner? Where?"

"At the hospital."

"Just like that? Alone?" Renjun's mom crosses her arms. "Were you with someone?" 

Renjun takes a sharp breath in, his mind racing to avoid the incoming conversation. He ultimately looks past his mother, at Jaehyun, silently asking for help.

"Huang Renjun, you look at me when I'm talking to you."

"Mom... that... I... just-"

"Come on Soojung, the boy's all grown up now." Jaehyun's dad intervenes. The amusement on his face shows why Renjun was dreading this conversation. Soojung shakes her head, her eyes not leaving Renjun's figure for even a minute. "Which is why he needs to answer my question, Dae. Being a boy does not give one license to do whatever you want. Not in my household." She purses her lips as her right feet taps impatiently.