Echoes of the Rain

New family

I decided to go with them. As we sat in the car, the atmosphere felt strangely tense, almost as if none of us knew what to say. I kept my gaze fixed out of the window, hoping the ride would end soon.

Yohan broke the silence first. "So, how's it going at the store, guys?"

Jiho replied without looking at him, "As usual."

Yohan nodded and, after a pause, his face lit up. "Hey, tomorrow is Sunday. Why don't we go somewhere for a change?"

Jiho seemed to agree, a small smile forming on his lips. "Yeah, let's go somewhere."

Yohan turned his attention to me. "Yuri? What do you think?"

Caught off guard, I stammered, "A... yes?"

Yohan grinned, sensing an opening. "Wanna come with us?"

Jiho joined in, "Yeah, Yuri, let's go."

I immediately felt cornered. "Oh no, no, I have my part-time job tomorrow, so I don't really have time."

Yohan wasn't giving up that easily. "Just give us two hours... please, Yuri," he pleaded, giving me the most exaggerated puppy eyes.

I hesitated. "Really, I don't have the time. I have to finish up some work, and then I need to run some errands... and I promised to help someone... and-"

Before I could come up with another excuse, the car pulled up to the store. Yohan seemed disappointed, but he masked it with a smile. "Okay, okay. Maybe next time," he said, trying to sound cheerful.

I quickly got out of the car, relieved to have an escape. "Yeah, maybe," I muttered, heading toward the bookstore entrance.

As Yohan drove away, I couldn't help but feel a mix of guilt and confusion. Why was he trying so hard to include me? And why did Jiho suddenly seem so agreeable? I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. I had work to do, and I needed to focus.

As our shift ended, I made my way up to the upper floor, almost on autopilot. It had become a habit now - something I looked forward to without even realizing it. When I reached the room, I saw Yohan already sitting on his stool near the piano, his fingers gently pressing the keys as if he were warming up for a performance.

He looked up as I entered, a smile spreading across his face. "Oh, you came! I thought you might skip today."

I chuckled nervously, trying to find the right words. "Well, yeah, I mean... we did sign a contract, so..."

Yohan laughed, a warm, genuine sound that filled the small room. "Yeah, that contract," he repeated with a grin. "Hahaha, so official!"

We both laughed, and for a moment, the world outside seemed to fade away. It was strange - this feeling of comfort, of warmth. Our bond was growing, and I found myself enjoying these little moments more than I ever thought I would. I'd never really had a friend before, not one like Yohan. This whole experience felt new, almost surreal.

As he began to play, I sat down on a stool nearby, watching him. His fingers moved effortlessly over the keys, creating melodies that seemed to flow straight from his heart. I couldn't help but notice how his expression changed when he played - the way his eyes softened, his lips curved in concentration, and his whole face seemed to glow with passion. It was like he became a different person, one who was free from all worries, lost in the music.

I rested my chin on my hand, feeling a sense of calm that I hadn't felt in a long time. The room was filled with the gentle notes of the piano, and for the first time, I allowed myself to just be... to exist in this moment without thinking too much about the future or the past.

Yohan glanced over at me and smiled. "You know, you look different when you're not overthinking," he teased lightly, his fingers still dancing over the keys.

I blushed a little, caught off guard. "Do I?"

He nodded. "Yeah, like you're really here... in the moment."

I didn't know how to respond to that, so I just smiled back. Maybe he was right. Maybe, for once, I was actually present - right here, right now. And it felt... good.

Yohan's phone rang, interrupting the moment. He glanced at the screen and sighed softly before answering. It was his mother. The conversation was short, but I could sense the tension in his voice. After a while, he hung up, his expression a mix of frustration and resignation.

"She always worries about me," he muttered.

I felt a pang of concern. "What happened? Did something happen with your family?"

Yohan hesitated, then nodded. "Yesterday, Jiho's uncle came to our house, claiming we don't treat Jiho well. He argued with my mother, so she threw him out. Now she's asking if I see him anywhere... Just in case."

I paused, sensing an opportunity to ask the question that had been on my mind. "Can I ask you something?"

Yohan looked at me with a knowing smile. "I think I know what you're going to ask."

"Why is Jiho working outside, even though he's from a wealthy family? Am I right?"

He nodded. "Yeah, you guessed it." He took a deep breath. "My mother never liked Jiho, not even from the beginning. She doesn't give him enough money, not even for his tuition fees. She does everything to make his life difficult."

I looked at him closely, noticing how serious he seemed. He continued, his voice quieter now. "Do you know... my mother went through a lot too? My biological father was a drunk. He used to hit her every day. She worked in a bar to support us. One day, my stepfather saw her, and it was like... love at first sight. He proposed to my mother for marriage. My mom always wanted the best for me, so she accepted his proposal, even though she didn't love him... she did it for me."

I noticed his hands were shaking slightly. Without thinking, I reached out and placed my hand over his, gripping it tightly. He seemed to draw strength from the touch and continued.

"After the marriage, I met Jiho for the first time. He looked so small, so nervous... but he was the only one who welcomed us. My stepfather... he was a good man. He treated me like his own son. But my mother... she only showed affection to Jiho in front of his father. After Jiho's father died, she stopped pretending. She became a different person... scared that if Jiho ever became the CEO, he'd throw us out of the house."

His voice grew rougher, filled with a mix of frustration and pain. "She forced me to study hard, get good grades, and prepare to take over the company... and she made sure Jiho had no chance to grow, no comfort, no support."

I could see his eyes becoming distant, his expression numb. Without realizing it, I tightened my grip on his hand, trying to offer some kind of comfort.

Yohan turned to me, a faint smile on his lips. "Are you feeling sad for Jiho?"

I hesitated. "I just... I didn't know. It's hard to imagine what either of you has gone through."

Yohan's smile faded. "It's complicated. I don't blame Jiho for any of it. But I'm stuck in the middle, trying to be... whatever my mother needs me to be."

His vulnerability was unexpected, and for a moment, I felt the walls between us crumble just a little more.