Love Magic [on-going]

Friendly Magic

The lights in the living room were so bright that they reflected the blushing faces of the two men fighting for dominance below. The other was holding buckets of unopened beer, and his father was holding chicken thighs fried to golden brown.

The other man was shorter than his father by two inches, and he was wearing a flowery-style polo, dark green shorts, and white shoes. If you just give him a glance, one could mistake him for a young man with his fashion sense, but if you look closely, he could be the same age as his father.

The contrast between the two was so great that his father, who was wearing a silver-gray suit, seemed like a CEO assisted by a young secretary!

"Children are the same! They bully their parents always... tsk tsk." said the man in the flowery polo. His tone was so dramatic, and he always peeked at Rain's father when speaking. The bucket in his hand was placed on the table, and he guided the silver-gray suit man to sit on the white sofa.

"... but we also bully them. You know, my son came running to me yesterday talking about his lover. I'm so happy to help him, but I also want to tease him... hahaha," his laugh line accentuates, and he seems to be genuinely happy sharing his experience.

He was so proud of his son.

Rain's father sat there in a trance, looking at the chicken in his hand. "My son likes chicken, but I don't like it and impose it on him. I mean, chicken like this is full of bad nutrients for him! What's so delicious about this?" He picked up the excess chicken skin and put it in his mouth, then sighed, "Yeah, bad foods are delicious."

Hearing this, the flowery polo guy laughed heartily again. "It is! Even though these drinks are delicious, we know it's bad for our health. Children are their own people; we can't dictate them forever. When they reach the age of understanding, we should let them choose what they want. Of course, we can still give advice, but we can't impose it as always."

"My son... I think he likes men."

Rain was startled. His father looks so troubled right now, and he forgives him for telling someone about his preference. His father needed someone to vent all the hidden emotions. He could only wish that the other man could give a bit of objective advice.

"I saw him with that guy. Huh! He does not deserve my son. Such an ugly face can't stand beside my son!" He was saying it with roaming dark clouds over his head. His father was so angry that his face darkened.

But the other man did not even flinch at the thought that the son liked men; instead, his eyes sparkled! "My son too! I'm sure his lover is such a beauty, which is why he is head over heels for him."

"Good for you. If I had known before, we should have set up our son. Huh, that man even went as far as tainting my son in my own house! Despicable!" The beer was open, and Rain's father drank it like it was the last bottle.

"Very despicable! I would be angry too. Can't he afford to buy a house? Tsk. Young wizards these days. We can let them meet but not so they can be lovers just friends." The flowery polo guy said and opened a bottle too.

Rain was sitting just before the stairs, hidden from the two. Listening to the conversation, he deduced that the flowery polo guy was his father's good friend, and he was not prejudiced against their kind of love.

He hopes that his father can find the answer he wants when sharing his burden with the other man. He never saw his father converse like this when sober, so maybe it was his father's way to drink so much so he could let his burdens out.

But he wanted to talk to his father still. They can't stay in a silent cold war; they are father and son, the only relatives left for both of them. Thinking like this, Rain returned to his room, not wanting to eavesdrop anymore.

He will sleep tonight and then wake up in the morning to prepare a congee for his father. I hope that tomorrow will be a sunny day.

When he went back to his room, the living room still had no sign of finishing yet. Rain had no way of knowing what conversation they had after he left, but he should probably visit that flowery polo guy to thank him for being his father's friend.

Hours passed, and the silent night turned bright. The living room was silent, but the kitchen kept having sounds of a spatula hitting a casserole, the gentle bubbling of the creamy congee, and the smell of it covering the whole kitchen.

In front of the slightly open door, Rain stood worried and anxious, but he also had the bravery that he did not know he had. He knocked gently, "Father, may I come in? I made you a congee."

He knew that his father wouldn't be affected by the alcohol. His father is the strongest, after all. "Hmmm," Sounds of permission came from the inside, and so Rain pushed the door open some more, holding the tray in his hands.

"Good morning, Father."

The tray was placed on the coffee table where his father was sitting, reading a document that must be related to anything regarding magic. As wizards, they still had to make a living so they could sustain life, and his family was one whose money came from the older generation. To put it simply, they did not need to work hard but only work smart.

"Please, eat the congee while it is hot. I put a lot of shredded mushroom there." His father likes mushrooms and all things vegetables or nutritious. Meats are forbidden in his food.

"Sit down," his father said.

Rain pulled a chair and slowly sat down, his back straight but his legs trembling. No matter how brave he is, this is still his father. A father whom he looks up to, no matter how harsh the old man is at times.

His father stared at the congee first, then took the spoon prepared and took a little to his mouth. This taste is familiar. This is the congee that his wife made when they started living together—the congee she made while stroking her bulging belly—and now his son made it for him.

The room was silent, and only the clicking of the spoon and bowl was heard. The room still has that lingering smell of alcohol, but it does not feel suffocating or unfamiliar.

"Am I a bad father?"