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Peaches on Tree Branches

Shuyang POV

I wouldn't say I'm an inquisitive person. Actually far from it; I preferred things to be simple, maybe even delicate in appearance. None of this was to anyone else's benefit but my own. I didn't like things that were too complex, that also regards things I did in everyday life.

I hated school, and everything I had to do in it. My education seemed like a waste, learning things I either already knew, or would never need to know.

It applied to home life too. All the babies running around and clueless fathers. They're only doing their best, I know that, but It had been just dad and I for almost 12 years. I wasn't used to sharing the attention; the little I got of it anyway.

My dad was a very smart man and always had a solution for everything. I would fuck up, he'd tell me exactly what I should do to correct myself.

But then Mr. Yu ZeYu fucked some chick from a grade above mine and all of the sudden he's living in my house with a baby. I had known ZeYu before he came to live with dad and I, and he wasn't the nicest person. Hence I had never really talked to him, but I had never seen him smile, or really ever heard him talk. Who knew he'd become one of my best friends.

The same for Li Zihao. He had been a noisy pain in the ass that hung around the Juniors. He always had a hand on one of the girls. Nika. I could remember because every time is see him, she'd be attached to him, his hand either in her shoulder or in her hair or whatever. I thought it was weird before I knew him, but now I know it was for means of her comfort.

Yeah and that bitch Jiabao Hanyu. He's not really a bitch I just enjoy teasing him. He was the weirdest out of all of them. He didn't talk at all in school. He was never around anyone and he would sit by himself on most occasions. I remember him trying to talk to people but they wouldn't spare him a passing glance. But then he showed up at my house too, two infants and a suitcase with him. I remember signing and just  waving him inside like a club bouncer.

My cousin MingRui showed up between ZeYu and Zihao at some point. He had been beat up by Aunt Clarie again. This time it was bad. I could remember the bandages and his confused state. She had busted his arm and his eyes were completely red. You wouldn't have known him to be human. There was a big bruise on his forehead and his ear had to be stitched back into place. This era of Rui came with a lot of late night terrors and violent panic attacks where he'd start apologizing out of nowhere and then scream for an hour for virtually no reason.

Those early years had been a great conditioner for life. All types of people came together and lived in one house. We all worked out differences and two of them found comfort in each other. I wasn't against Hanyu and Rui's relationship at all, actually I was happy for it. Rui stopped having those horrid panic attacks and Hanyu started talking. But I was worried about my dad.

I knew my dad wouldn't hate them for it, not at all. He'd just be hurt that they didn't trust him with it. My dad has done so much for every one of us. Even I sling him credit for helping me.

He was my rock since mom left. I didn't remember much of her since I was only 5, but I still feel like it was my fault. They must've been just fine until I was born. Until I started having my seizures.  I was most likely the reason my mother got tired of everything, all my problems piling up on her. She was young so I kind of understood.

My mom had only been 17 when she got pregnant with me. My dad and her had been dating since he was in high school and they got married when he got into med school.

They had wanted more children and tried but all the other pregnancies had resulted in miscarriages. I was the only baby she could have... and apparently I wasn't enough.

"Shuyang! You good bro?" I was shaken from my long winded thought cycle. Zihao and Abie were sitting cross legged next to each on the kitchen floor. Food coloring staining their hands and the papers they had set out.
"Oh, Uh yeah I'm good. Just thinking." I lied.

"Don't do too much of that. It could hurt you." Zihao chuckled, dipping his finger in the green and swiping it across his "painting".

"Why don't you use real paint?" I questioned, sitting on the floor with them to see what they created. Abie was just scribbling while Zihao had made a very pretty picture. Zihao has always been an artist, able to draw and paint and sing and dance.

"Food coloring holds its self better than paint. It feels nicer to the touch and it leaves a pretty stain afterwards." He explained, still adding to the food coloring masterpiece he was designing.

"Why would you want it to stain?" I asked, knowing very well he'd give me some kind of philosophical answer like he always did. But, he just shrugged. "I like it."

"Hmm." I shrugged and watched him continue.

"What is it?"

"It's a peach tree."

"Why a peach tree?"

"You ask too many questions."

"Sorry."

"Just don't speak and just watch."

"Okay."