Stranger | Taka

Chapter 20: Truth

My mother's famous home cooked dish, or even dishes is in the air, reminding me of my childhood as it fills my nostrils.

I must be really hungry.

But even though my eyelids slowly roll to an open for my eyes to only get blinded by the sunlight that seeps through the adjustable blinds that fail to cover the window completely, the odor still exists. Knowing for a fact that I am in my room in my own apartment and not at my parents' place, I rush out of bed in total confusion to open my room's door and see what I think is happening in the kitchen and living room.

"Whaaat are you two doing here?" I question my parents who usually don't visit often and are doing two very different things.

My mother is cooking while my father is on the couch being lazy and on his phone.

"You're finally up," my father states instead of answering my question.

"Help me cook breakfast," my mother turns her head towards where I'm standing before telling me what to do like always.

"After I shower," I reply back, still being suspicious of what's happening.

I first gather the clothes that I feel like wearing today and a clean towel along with a few other things before jumping in the shower. I then do my usual routine with a finish of putting a good amount of makeup on to head to the kitchen to help my mother who is still cooking.

"I invited FCFS/N to eat breakfast with us today."

"AH-"

While I'm about to take a sip and taste the soup from one of my mother's dishes, I accidentally take it all in, causing me to accidentally burn the tip of my tongue.

"Bu me and him had an agreemen yeserday-"

Because of the stinging of my tongue, I can't properly talk right away.

"So you did meet up with him..At first, it was hard to believe hearing it from F/N, but I'm glad I did."

"She was the one that told you I met with him..?"

"Y-Y/N? Where are you going?!"

"Anywhere but here."

When I open the front door and I was just about to dash outside with my usual belongings that I take with me when I go out, I am already blocked by a tall figure wearing also casual clothes by no other than FCFS/N. And just as I am about to close the door on him, my mother comes up from behind like a ninja and opens the door wide open for him to come in...to my apartment.

"Good morning, FCFS/N. Come in and make yourself at home. Perfect timing. We just got done cooking," my mother says with a huge smile on her face while still holding the door open.

"Good morning. Thank you, Mrs. M/N. Wow..Everything looks good," he steps in while respectfully replying with a smile back to my mother and to me.

"Hey, FCFS/N! Good to see you again," my father says next when he finally gets up from his comfy seat.

"Hey..! You too Mr. D/N."

A minute or two of greeting each other along with a hug here and there passes until we decide to sit down at the dining table to eat breakfast together and talk to each other in between bites and blahty blah blah....I already want this to end. What's worse is that they all look like they're getting along, enjoying themselves. Is all of this really for my sake, or for the money that my parents know that they'll be earning if my relationship with FCFS/N and his father goes a long way? Just seeing how things are going with FCFS/N for my parents right now..I can't help but also question if money really does buy happiness. At the least, I know that isn't the case for me.