PHONE | Felix ff

Unveil

"It's too much for my frail body, Aer— I mean, Mom," I said, glancing at the mountain of dishes laid out on the table.

"Nonsense! You deserve all of it. Now eat," my father said, piling more curry onto my plate. Resigned, I began to eat, savoring the flavors despite the overwhelming portions.

As I took another bite, I noticed a younger boy sprinting toward us, his face bright with enthusiasm. He seemed unfamiliar.

"Who's that?" I asked Hannah, nodding toward him.

"Our younger brother," she replied with a smile. "The youngest in the house—if you don't count Berry, that is." She paused for a moment before adding, "His name's Lucas."

Meanwhile, Chan sat at the far end of the table, sulking as he pushed food around on his plate. Being the oldest, he often carried an air of responsibility—sometimes bordering on grumpiness when things didn't go his way. I glanced at him briefly, wondering what had set him off this time.

Berry, their dog—a fluffy Cavalier King Charles Spaniel—was curled up comfortably on my lap. Her silky coat was warm against my hands as I absentmindedly stroked her. She looked up at me with her large, round eyes, as if silently asking for a bite of my food.

"You spoil that dog too much," Chan grumbled, finally breaking his silence.

"Better spoiled than sulking," I quipped, which earned a quiet chuckle from Hannah and a snort from Lucas, who had just reached the table. Chan shot me a glare but said nothing, instead turning his attention to his drink.

Berry wagged her tail, oblivious to the tension, and I couldn't help but smile. This family was chaotic, but in its own way, it felt... nice.

Chan's glare lingered a moment longer than necessary, his dark eyes heavy with an unspoken weight. There was something unsettling in how his sulking seemed deeper than just irritation. I shifted my focus back to Berry, smoothing his ears as the dog let out a contented sigh.

Lucas plopped into the seat beside Hannah, his energy contagious. "Mom, can I have dessert now? I finished my plate!" he chirped, effectively breaking the silence.

"You can have dessert once everyone's done," Mom replied with her usual gentle firmness. Lucas groaned but stayed put, already eyeing the pudding bowl on the sideboard.

I stole a glance at Chan again. His fork was still, his food untouched. He looked lost in thought, his shoulders tense as if he were carrying some invisible burden. It was strange—I couldn't recall him being this moody before.

"Chan, you okay?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

He stiffened at my voice, his eyes snapping up to meet mine briefly before he looked away. "Yeah, fine," he mumbled, though his tone betrayed him.

Hannah leaned toward me, her voice low. "Don't mind him. He's just being his usual grumpy self." She smiled, but her words did little to ease the knot in my chest.

I didn't know why, but something about the way Chan avoided my gaze felt... off. Like he was hiding something—not just from me, but from everyone at the table.

Berry nestled into my hand, grounding me in the moment. Whatever was weighing on Chan, now wasn't the time to press. Instead, I turned my attention to Lucas, who was eagerly recounting a schoolyard adventure to Dad, his voice brimming with excitement.

I had found my real family. And I wasn't planning on walking away from them anytime soon. From the looks of it, they didn't seem too keen on letting me go either. I'd moved out of Hyunbin dorm and into the Bang's vacation house.