RENDEZVOUS

34 | strawberry yogurt

"you can't treat him like that! i've listened to him cry all week, and i'm tired of letting this family get torn apart."

"don't talk to me like that, l-like i'm some kind of monster! i'm trying my best for this family, and it's not like i mean to lose my temper."

"lose it on me then, you do it enough. just don't take it out on renjun. he's going through enough as it is."

"but h-he's-"

"gay. you can't deny it. you don't have to announce it to our whole family, or even talk to him about it. just lay off him, for god's sake."

a door would slam, or a different petty argument would break out, and the heated conversations would continue when they thought renjun was asleep.

it was hard, putting his parents through this revelation. if he'd had things his way, renjun probably never would have told them, or at least waited until the right time, maybe when he was older.

but his dad standing up for him like that was something he hadn't expected. it was nice to see him take control for once, when usually he would disappear into the background, helpless.

despite all of this, renjun could sense a slight change in the atmosphere of his home in the next few days. he'd been dreading the end of his exams as they meant he would be at home for a long summer break, but the house seemed quieter now. as long as he stayed quiet, his parents did too, and fewer arguments broke out over dinner. (renjun had even managed to come out of his room for dinner by now, after the series of evenings he'd stayed up there and his dad had brought his meals up.)

near the end of the week, on a sunny friday lunchtime, renjun crept into the kitchen to grab something to eat, only to find his dad already preparing lunch.

"morning," mr huang murmured, "are you busy today?"

renjun froze in the doorway, hesitant. "not really," he answered.

"then would you mind getting a few things from the supermarket for me? there's a list and some money on the table."

renjun glanced between his father and the dinner table, and eventually went to scoop up the shopping list and the bank notes his dad had left him. "sure," he said quietly, "i'll go now."

with his mother out at work, things in the house were even quieter, and renjun was confused because everything almost seemed... normal. even his dad was treating him as if nothing had changed. after some thought, renjun figured maybe he preferred that. he wasn't after some big coming out party, just a way to continue living like he always had.

"feel free to get something for yourself too," mr huang added as renjun was leaving the room.

renjun nodded even as he trailed out into the hallway. "okay," he responded, "thanks."

the response was somewhat numb, but renjun couldn't help it. he felt numb. he couldn't figure out either of his parents and what they were really thinking, but his father acting kind of normal was... kind of nice, he supposed. it was also nice to finally venture outside, pick out a pair of battered white converse and actually be able to wear them on both feet, and take a walk in the sunshine without the weight of his ankle brace.

giving a shrug to shake off the array of mixed feelings, renjun headed off towards the supermarket.

the shopping list wasn't long, just the usual necessary food items that needed regularly replacing. renjun almost wished the list went on a little longer, he was enjoying the freedom of the supermarket a little too much. after a while, he started to wander the aisles in search of something to buy himself. without even realising it at first, he started off in the direction of the yogurt aisle, the fresh sweet flavour of strawberry yogurt drifting around his mind.