My Precious One

17 - A Cold Shoulder

Rune entered the kitchen and the delicious aroma of the food that is being cooked by her youngest teased her nose. She looked around and she could easily tell that Krist is cooking Singto's favorite food. She approached her son who is so focused in what he is doing to realize that she's already home.

"Am I forgetting something?" she whispered to her youngest.

With a surprised gasp, Krist turned the stove off and kissed her cheek. "Welcome back, mae! What do you mean?"

Rune chuckled at how cute Krist is looking with his eyes blinking cutely and his head tilted to the side. She went to the refrigerator and poured herself a glass of cold water before she took a seat. "Is there a celebration? As much as I can remember, today isn't your phee's birthday."

Krist blinked a couple of times before it finally sank in. He smiled sheepishly and started preparing the table for dinner. "I just feel like cooking P'Sing's favorite tonight, mae. Nothing's special."

"Where is your phee by the way?" And as if on cue, they heard a sound of a door opening and closing. "Don't bother to answer, Krist. He's here already."

Krist smiles immediately and saunters towards the living room where the main door is. There, he saw his phee in the doorway, taking his shoes off. "Welcome back, P'Sing! You're just in time for dinner," he greeted cheerfully, eyes not leaving his phee.

"Yeah..." Singto answered tiredly as he started walking towards the stairs and into his bedroom.

Pouting, Krist followed his phee's movement with his eyes. His phee always greeted him with a smile whenever he's back. "Are you alright, phee? Is something wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Singto managed to let out as he finally disappeared from his eyes. Sighing, Krist went back to the kitchen with a frown on his face.

Rune who was placing the last dish on the table could easily tell that there is a sudden change in his behavior. "What's wrong, Krist?"

Krist shook his head and let out a wan smile. "Nothing, mae."

She frowned but decided not to push it further. "Where's your phee?"

Krist took a seat and rested his chin on his palm. "He went upstairs, probably changing his clothes."

"I see." She then also took a seat and waited for her eldest. They didn't have to wait that long though. Singto came and took a seat beside Krist.

They started eating in silence which is a rare occurrence since the siblings always talk while eating. It could be about anything at all but they are always talking which is a complete opposite of the awkward silence they have now. Deciding to break the ice, Rune tried a conversation and turned to Singto.

"How is your day, meatballs?" She purposely used the nickname "meatballs" to get a reaction from her eldest which she knew would save them from the unwanted atmosphere they're having.

"Good," Singto answered simply as he shoved another spoon of rice in his mouth.

Rune could only gape at his reaction. That isn't the reaction she was expecting. She turned to Krist and the latter is staring at his phee with a worried expression on his face.

"Did something happen, phee?" Krist meekly asked. He knows that something is wrong with his phee the moment he came back. "You told me that you have something to do before you go home. Did something—"

Singto suddenly stood up with an unreadable expression on his face which surprised the two. "I'm done. I'll be retiring early," he said coldly before he turned on his heels and left.