Brute

Part 31

Joong

This was what a family supposed to be. The light, continuous banter, the calm but delightful atmosphere, the genuine excitement of having a child who was very much loved, coming home, eating at the same table.

At first, I was too afraid to be casual, making me stiffen with formality, until Nine's dad gently tapping my hand to be at ease, "we are family", was what he said, sincerely. Then, I started to join in on the conversation comfortably.

The thing with parents are, they insisted for you to stay till dinner, definitely, and then dinner dragged out too late, so then, they insisted that you stayed for the night too. I was speechless, since all of this was new to me, making me politely said yes to everything. By the time it was already eleven, my belly protuded with an additional late supper and Nine just laughed seeing me suffered the endless fussing from his mother.

Since I came here barehanded, Dad lent his pajama set, which pants just a bit shorter but still wearable nonetheless. Now, lying on the bed beside Nine, I looked at the ceiling, with a peaceful smile on my face. Nine who laid on his side, was staring at me, with a smile on his face too.

"You must be overwhelmed, my parents tend to fuss on me, now that they have a new target, pheww, I am safe...", he said and giggled.

"I am happy, but why I felt liked crying too, Nine? This is too contrasting, I'm confused. Even when I was hurt, I just bit my lips and endured. But this, my chest felt too tight, liked it might burst, but it is not from bad feeling. Ah, I'm talking in circle and confusing you instead", I said and turned to lay on my side too, facing Nine. Nine reached out and carressed my hair.

"No, Joong, it's not confusing for me. But, I understand, you couldn't understand why happiness made you want to cry. People cried for every silly excuse, Joong, not just sadness. You could cry in relief, or when you're too tired, or when you want to release stress, and even...happiness. Do you want me to hold you? Maybe it would ease that tight feeling a bit? You also could just cry you know, it's normal", he said gently and moved closer to hug me. I laid my head on the crook of his neck, closed my eyes and breathed deeply. With just comforting strokes at my back, my eyes that had felt the burning, released silent tears that wet the fragrant, warm skin of my beloved. Nine was right, the tightness did ease, and God, I am...happy.

Nine

I held Joong till he fell asleep. Carefully, when he was already in a deep sleep, I extracted my numb arm that was under his head and let him rest fully on the fluffy pillows.

I went to the living room and sat on the sofa. I was holding it in, in front of Joong, but now that I was alone, I cried too. He must never know how a family work. His expression, the whole time he spent with my family, was such pure enlightment; liked finally, he got what he had been waiting for in his whole life to be part of.

After a while, when my feeling was calmer, I stood to go back to my room, only to be surprised by my mom who was actually standing nearby.

"Mom...I almost have a shock", I said, rubbing my chest to calm down.

"I was having a cup of water in the kitchen, and was scared to hear sniffings from the living room, oy, almost thought it was a ghost, then I remembered you are here. Come, sit with me and talk. Why did you cry, hmm, my baby?", my mom asked while I leaned my head on her shoulder and holding her arm tight,".. ah, this must be about Joong...".

"How did you know, it's about him?", mom was instinctual that way.

"Because I could see, your eyes keep following him while we were dining together. I could also see, that Joong seemed to absorb everything as if it was a wonder. Sorry Nine, though his life was so out of my reach to imagine, but I could tell this must be something rare for him, am I right?". I nodded my head a little.

"Mom, when he called you all these time, what did both of you talk about? I am curious...", I asked, because I really wanted to know.

"Oh, the usual greetings, and most of it, was about how to care for you...he told me, that you kept about your sickness from his knowledge till that time that you were warded. So, he wanted to learn the signs, and what to do if in case the attack happen".

I was surprised, and raised my head to look at my mom, "All about me, everytime?". My mom nodded.

"If you asked me, was I and Dad shocked by your relationship, to be honest, we did, but at the same time, we could also see, how much importance he put on you, maybe too much. All we want is for you to be healthy, happy and be well taken care of, and he'd already given us assurance for the last part. The first is from God, the second... must come from within yourself, Nine, alright?", with that being said, my mom kissed my forehead, and then left to sleep.

I went back to my room, laid on my bed, and held the heavily asleep person tight. I kissed his lips gently, though he was not aware. I knew, that though happiness must come from within; this precious person has and always will be; a part of the reason why; for as long as I live.