The good thing at Grandpa's house, we are required to eat together. It was a quiet meal but I enjoyed it. Until, a small frail but cute child came into the dining place where we were having dinner, held by an attendant, they entered. Then she reached for Mom when she saw her, and the confusing part was that Mom welcomed that embrace from her, she's very small but she already walks and just knows how to stare at people. She seems shy and always about to cry but she just doesn't talk.
"This is Chuna…" As she held that kid and tried to let her face us, then mom looked my way
"… this is Jun's sister" I have gulped that piece of meat that I think I haven't finished chewing yet
"WHAT? I HAVE A SISTER?" I almost jumped but Grandpa and Dad stayed silent. We are just waiting for an explanation. Then Mom looked at Dad.
"We had her when we saw each other in Morocco. That night, I didn't know that we had developed a child in me…" Mom was about to cry
"…I just didn't know how to tell you, because that night you also asked for legal separation" Grandpa then looked at Dad, Dad felt that and met Grandpa's gaze, He was not even finished with his deep exhale, Grandpa slammed the table.
"What is this son? What separation are you asking?" Dad was almost trembling but still firm
"I never continued that…" He started
"…Stella and I haven't seen each other for a long time. I just thought it was a good thing to us for that. So, that she could have her life in peace without any difficulties…" Dad then gave Mom a look
"…But I didn't continue… I didn't push through it. I just… keep making excuses when it comes up to our conversations that only happens once in a blue moon calls and you didn't pry to it as well" Mom is still stern, no tears are falling from her face but her eyes are a little bit wet and red.
"How could I want that?" Mom blurted.
Grandpa stood from his seat and took the baby from Mom's arms. He kissed her forehead and looked at me
"Come here Jun, meet your sister" That was the first time I saw her. grandpa let me hold her, she just looks so fragile and soft. And her hair smells so baby-like. Grandpa hugged us and spoke
"I'm sorry for you both having difficult parents" Next thing I knew that year, me and Chuna were staying at Grandpa's house for I don't know when, my parents had worked so they didn't take long to stay but they left us in our relatives' care. Grandpa took care of us well but I had to go to school and another aunt offered their home and enrolled me in a nearby school, Chuna stayed at Grandpa. She keeps him company but every weekend I stayed there at grandpas.
"…I never got back to my old school" Sometimes I wonder how is that kid,
"I thought I'd be able to watch him grow up more" Until I forgot about him as time went by, just having him as a core memory of my childhood days.
After I graduated elementary, Chuna and I were sent to another relative far enough to make us ride a plane again, they have a different language there but it's not that hard to learn. I'm still the same old me, studious and quiet but now I have Chuna with me, I take care of and play with her as much as I can, we still have nannies that attend to our needs but I sometimes feed her and dress her as much as I can.
I heard Grandpa's health was deteriorating and needed more rest, so we were sent here to give him time to recuperate. But he still calls us once in a while. I started junior high at that time when I heard my attendant talk to someone.
I call my nannies attendants now for they are not required to dress and feed me anymore, they are just there to attend to me when I need them with things and labor, like preparing food for Chuna and me, the drivers are there to take us to school and stores and also stands as guards for our safety. I haven't taken it to heart to know them personally because this time, it's more frequent for them to change.
"Hello. Ma'am, it's been a while, Chuna and Jun have been very good indeed… Yes… Yes… Yes. I understand, Ma'am. I'll take care of it"
I stood behind that attendant and asked her
"Is that mom?" the attendant nodded and excused herself.
"So, mom calls them but not us? Does she still think I can't understand a thing and can't trust with some responsibilities" I just shrugged and didn't take it to heart. Honestly, when it comes to my parents, I just don't take it to heart.
"…They are strangers. Only Chuna is my own family"
It just has been a year but Chuna and I kept changing location and sleeping at strangers' houses every 5 months.
One night,
"WHAT THE HELL? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I just got home from school when I heard my auntie, the owner of the house, screaming out her lungs in the kitchen. I saw Chuna on the floor, beside her were broken glasses. Auntie had a furious look on her then she looked at me. She sighed very deeply.
"GET YOUR SISTER OUT FROM HERE. She dipped her hands from the chocolate pudding I made earlier, which would be given as gifts to my guests in the afternoon meeting" Then the housemaids came in to analyze the situation and they started getting cleaning materials.
I took Chuna, I carried her from the floor. It feels that Chuna is still in shock. She's not moving much; my tears were about to fall when I looked at Chuna.
"How could she do that to Chuna? Chuna is just a kid, she's just three!" I saw Chuna about to cry too in my arms but with her face filled with chocolate, spread around her lips because she also had it on her hands and near her eyes, even on her hair. I smiled and Chuna smiled back.
"Hmm… how are you, Chuna? Do you like that chocolate? Is it sweet?" I checked her body, double-checking if she was not injured by the broken glasses. I remember helping her clean that night.