Half an hour later, food was presented on the table. Newmoon gave a hand to mum. By the time both dad and john entered the kitchen together.
A bulky body with a stern and reserved gaze. Dad's appearance was somehow similar to his tone. Oddly enough, the closed-off personality added an unapproachable aura toward him. If only he hasn't got those heavy throbbed eyebrows then maybe he would've come up quite a gentleman to other people. As soon as he appeared, newmoon quickly dashed to the table and dragged the old rotten wood chair for his father. His actions clearly showed how strict he was in general.
Sitting down, dad moved his eyeballs around the surroundings as though he was searching for somebody's presence.
"Where is Jina? Didn't you call her off?"
By the time he finished, dad had already taken the first bite of the food. Although he didn't bother to give a stare to anybody and simply asked indirectly, deep down newmoon knew who was he expecting the answer from!
"S-She had gone to her friend's house at the dawn."
As soon as this sentence passed through his ear, his eyebrows furrowed, "..Early in the morning? And what're you doing in hell then? Let her pass?"
His tune is cold.
Newmoon shuddered.
"I-I..M-Mum-"
If only newmoon was a few miles away or even a few blocks away then maybe just like earlier, he would've gathered courage and protested instantly but the fact he was as close as sharing the same tiny wooden table made him in a vulnerable state.
"You sure are good for nothing!"
"There there…you're getting started again. I was the one who agreed to let her go."
Dad turned to her and protested, "..What was she so hurried over for? That she was impatient to wait for some few hours until school? I doubt it was anything urgent for her to skip a morning meal too?"
Mum plopped down next to dad and replied calmly, "Cut it already, dad! Jina told me that her new friend's family had invited her to have a meal altogether!"
Dad's spoon came to halt in the mid-air, he glanced at mum and argued in a disbelieving tone, "And you easily allowed her to join?"
Mom, "?"
As expected, the atmosphere immediately turned stiff. To be honest, it wasn't the first day that the surrounding was suffocating like this. It usually happens often. With that troublesome personality of dad, there was rarely a day he would stay silent. And nonetheless, the timing always hit during mealtime.
"Then should I have given a bad impression of her to the neighbor and her friend right straight from the beginning? Now, don't cause a ruckus with this trivial topic!"
Mum casually brushed up the conversation as well as dad's reaction.
And what mum couldn't stand was the discussion and ruckus during meal time. She believed that mealtime was the only source and period when every single family member are gathered and it counted as precious. Also, the other silliness thought was,
"Otherwise, our children would lose their appetite!"
Newmoon, "…"
Well, To speak up, they weren't in the position to choose their appetite in the first place due to financial conditions. Whatever their mum serves on their plate they eat. The choice was out of options. What mum referring to was, her children wouldn't digest the food comfortably in such a scenario ultimately leading them into a disturbed mind which later on affects their growth level as well. Despite having zero education, she had acquired that much knowledge from god knows where!
The paraphrase 'And, Why would I care about that?' was vividly hanging in dad's overall face.
But in front of a lioness(wife), he gave up. Otherwise, the result would be quite unsightly and dirty.
However, he didn't try to hold back and continued to distort the fact in a cautioned tone, "Sigh! Even though there is no harm in playing safe. I'm saying it for her good!"
From the second part, if it is because of the mum's aura or for something else, a heaviness sounded in the back layer of his tone.
"Today, they invited her. Tomorrow, Jina as well as I have to invite her friend to return the favor. Going back and forth, soon there will be times when we guardians are compelled to involve in this child's matter. Given our current condition, we might not reach their expected level which soon leads to unhealthy relationships. And nobody knows our circumstances better than you, mum."
That 'circumstance' and 'condition' meant their financial situation. Ever since newmoon was small he was made to agree to neither go to a friend's house nor to play. But for newmoon, it was never the bothering point. Why? Cause he never had any friends in the beginning! All the useless, sudden migration and change in place are mostly responsible to blame.
"What does that have to do with us?"
Once again, mum's reply was carefree.
Chewing the food, she exclaimed, "As long as it is between the children, it will be alright. No rules in the world say 'We have to give back whatever we receive!' As long as it is in our capability we would try but then if not, then not! It is out of our hands. And to talk about Jina, it will be the last time too!"
Only then did dad's eyebrows seem to rest.
Meanwhile, On the opposite side, newmoon listened to the whole conversation attentively. Although he had been hearing the same explanation since childhood, and amidst it, that day he found something more. It was dad's weird expression. Newmoon couldn't tell if he was worried, concerned, or cautioned about the neighbor more than his daughter 'Jina' whatsoever.
…
At the entrance of the middle school, two small children wearing a sluggish and oversized uniform stood lonely, facing the school border. One was newmoon and the other was his brother john. John was 2 years younger than him. Newmoon was holding john's hand with an expression of embarrassment. Whenever he stared at the wide and long sleeves of his shirt he instantly avoided his gaze as though he hated the sight of it.
Half an hour ago, when newmoon and his mum finished the kitchen work, he went to his room and dressed up for school. Who would have known his 1st day of school would start with such an embarrassing and disappointing look as well?
"M-MUUMM!! WHAT IS THIS?"
Newmoon yelled from the top of his lungs. One after another veins kept on popping on the lining of his throat.
"What are you shouting for? What happened?"
In tearful and disbelieving eyes, newmoon pointed at his uniform.
However, mum directly turned blind.
"What? I don't see anything wrong here!"
Newmoon grabbed his pants and flapped in front of her. He seriously looked like a bat with those oversized pants. Furthermore, his expression made it funnier. Although he seemed laughable at the moment, mum couldn't possibly laugh cause she assumed the aftermath of the consequences.
Bringing him close to her, mum tucked the long shirt inside his pant and said softly, "See? It is done like this! In this way, your uniform would be reliable and manageable up to the following years until you passed out the middle school."
"Isn't it great? In amidst crises, it saves both time and money!"
In front of mum, who had clear glistening eyes with a wide smile, he became weak. In the end, he swallowed the words and walked all along carrying a heavy heart.
"What are you spacing out for in the middle of the way?"
Dad roared from across the stationary shop.
Newmoon flinched. He took a few steps back and forth not knowing where to go! He didn't even get most of the words from his dad too!
"Go inside!!"
Dad shouted once again.
Leading the way, he entered with john. Thankfully, they came up early than the school time. Just like dad suggested, he went in and waited. It wasn't like the school was well renowned for the quality of education but the fact it was the only school in the entire province boosted its popularity.
Later on, after buying the necessities of the school items and materials both dad and mom walked in. Seeing the two little kids in the bare courtyard dad waved to them and pointed to enter the right side of the room. Newmoon followed the direction and approached the waiting room.
Even though dad didn't make a fuss about it, newmoon knew he must have furrowed his eyebrows deep down just like how he does at home.
Minutes after minutes, as time passed the number of students roaming here and there gradually increased. While passing through him, most kids would give a glance at him and laugh secretly. Once in a while to avoid such scenes, he would lower his chin and keep on staring at his big shoes.
Probably maybe after seeing a new face? Or a weird face? No! they're mistaken. It was the unusual appearance of his uniforms. Compared to him, john was peaceful throughout the times. He was too young to know the world.