Chan is the new kid in class. He doesn't really connect with any of his class mates, instead of the two weirdos. That doesn't really sound like a homerun to him, so, disregarding his new friends' warnings, he tries to talk to the quiet kid in the ba...
"I thought I heard some familiar voices," my stepmom enters the hall and swings our way.
As a petty little boy, I look down and swallow, not wanting to look at her. And so I don't greet her. That doesn't mean I'm not worried about what Jun might think, that I maybe am not polite, but I just can't act normal around this woman, not after what she did to my mom.
"And I can see you brought..." my stepmom continues, but before she can finish her sentence, Jun firmly grabs my arm and interrupts her.
"We were just about to unpack our belongings."
I look up. Why is he interrupting my stepmom in such a rude voice? Jun looks back at me, but I can't make anything out of that facial expression I know so well. It is that mysterious look he used to give me when he refused to talk to me at school. What is he trying to tell me by that look?
My stepmom acts like nothing happened and courteously sticks out her hand. "You must be one of Chan's friends, pleasure to meet you. My name is Jennie, I am Chan's mother."
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"Stepmother," I quietly correct her underneath my breath.
"Jun," Jun gruffly introduces himself and ignores my stepmom's outstretched hand. "Chan, you were just about to show me your room, right?"
"Ehm..." I cough. Jun squeezes my arm roughly, telling me to follow his lead. "Yes, we were just about to... We'll see you at diner."
"Okay, see you two at diner," my stepmom smiles at me and then winks at Jun, before leaving back to the kitchen, so that me and him are alone in the hall again.
I shrug off the shivers she gave me and try to act as normal as possible when I guide Jun up the steps, to the first floor of my... no... of my dad's home. I clear my throat and point at the hallway in front of us. "So, the guest room is very close to my room. It's just around..."
"I'm sleeping in your room," Jun states.
We quit walking. "Wha...? I thought you wanted to stay in the guest room."
Jun shrugs. "I changed my mind."
"Oh..."
I look at my bedroom door and immediately feel the shivers again. Although this used to be my save space in the house, it still reminds me of the bad memories. You can still see the marks my stepbrother's knife left when he threatened to break in. And that was after I had begged my dad to put a lock on my door, one of the few good things he did after marrying Jennie.
With a sigh, I open it, revealing the small childlike room. I feel shamefaced when I notice my Cars sheets still on my bed and the stuffed animals on the shelves.
"I'm sorry, I don't come here that often," I excuse my room and don't dare to look at Jun's face.
"It's cute," he speaks and then takes a step back. "You unpack your things, I'll go to the dining room to formally introduce myself to your stepmom."
With a frowned face, I watch him leaving. He is acting weird, even for his doing. No, wait... I've only known him for a week, what can I say about his behavior?
I shake my head and unpack the few things that are there to unpack and make my way downstairs, finding Jun and my stepmom discussing something while whispering.
My stepmom's facial expression changes into her fake-friendly face when she notices me and greets me once again. "Hi Chan, come on in. Diner is ready. Your father and Felix are waiting for us."
My eyes widen and I feel my heart getting ribbed out, dropping to the floor and shatter into a million pieces as I hear that name. "Felix?"
