Only Happy When It Rains

Chapter 4

Somehow, Tin must have drifted into uneasy sleep without realising it, because when he came to himself again, he noticed he had moved closer to the right-side of the bed and was now huddled into the insurmountable pillow-y mountain ridge in the middle of the bed.

Then, he realised what had actually woken him up.

The sobs were quiet, subdued and muffled by a pillow – but still undeniably there.

Can was crying on the other side of the bed.

Shit.

Tin didn't know what to do. He didn't know what Can would want him to do...

He could just pretend to sleep again, show respect by pretending not to hear it, since Can was clearly trying to muffle the sound.

Maybe... probably... he was the reason for the tears, and he wondered what might have triggered them.

He had been prepared for many things... but somehow, tears hadn't been among the scenarios he had imagined. He wasn't equipped for that.

It was stupid, now that he thought about it – hadn't it looked like Can was on the verge of crying already before he had gone to the bathroom last night?

That... didn't change anything about the fact that Tin was overwhelmed by the situation.

He hadn't expected the urge to comfort him to be so strong, visceral. He wanted to promise him everything, anything, to make it right again... if only he wasn't sad anymore.

There had been countless moments in Tin's life when he had felt helpless – but this was the first time he felt helpless for the sake of someone else, and not due to his own powerlessness in the face of his family.

Why did he even care?

"Can?" he said, softly at first, and a bit louder when there was no reaction.

"Hm?"

The response came stifled, almost completely muted by the pillow – but Tin had heard it.

"Are you... Do you... Is everything... alright?"

There was no answer at first, and Tin was already thinking about giving up, telling himself he had done what he could... when the sobs suddenly turned into distinct, heart-wrenching wails.

These noises now made Tin move with more determination, pulling away the pillow barrier between them, and he carefully placed his palm on Can's back.

He nearly retreated it again when Can's entire body flinched at the touch – but then, Can actually leaned back, into the touch, searching for it.

"Can... talk to me," Tin said, "I'm worried."

It surprised Tin himself, how true that statement was, how worried he actually was.

"It's... nothing," Can replied, in between new sobs, "just... a dream... she was there... I miss her."

She?

Tin hadn't been prepared to feel jealous... even possessive of Can, but... they hadn't talked... Can was cute, he was funny, and young... it wasn't such a stretch to imagine that he might have had a girlfriend already. Maybe he had had to break up with her in order to get married to Tin.

He should feel guilty for tearing him away from her... but the truth was: he didn't.

And then, Tin could have slapped himself for being such an ignorant idiot:

"My... sister, Lemon... she should be here... instead of me."

His sister!

How much of an idiot was he to forget about his sister?