Sunny sat down at the dining table, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort wash over him. His mom was sitting opposite him, a look of concern etched on her face. Alex was sitting beside him, greedily devouring his meal like it would be snatched from him.
The food on the table looked delicious, and Sunny's stomach growled in anticipation. It had been a long time since he had had a home-cooked meal, especially one with his family. He felt grateful to be surrounded by the people he loved, and he knew that this meal was going to be a special one.
As they began to eat, Sunny's mom couldn't help but notice the scar on his face. She had been against him joining the military, especially after his father's death. She had always been worried about his safety, and now, seeing the scar on his face, she felt a pang of fear and anxiety.
"Sunny, what happened to your face?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Sunny knew that this question was going to come. He had been expecting it, but he still didn't know how to respond. He chewed the last bit of food in his mouth, trying to buy some time.
"It was a knife cut," he said finally, his voice neutral.
As soon as the words left his lips, he heard a gasp from his mom. She looked like she had been punched in the gut, and Sunny felt a pang of regret for not being more careful with his words.
"Oh, Sunny," she whispered, her eyes welling up with tears. "I was so worried about you. I didn't want you to join the military. I knew something like this would happen."
Sunny felt a surge of guilt and regret. He knew that his mom had been against him joining the military, and now, seeing the scar on his face, she was even more convinced that she had been right.
"Mom, I'm sorry," he said, reaching out to take her hand. "I know you were worried about me, but I had to do this. There was nothing left for me to do.
His mom looked at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I know, Sunny," she said. "I just wish you had listened to me. I wish you had stayed safe."
Sunny felt a pang of sadness. He knew that his mom was coming from a place of love and concern, but he also knew that he had made the right decision for himself. Fighting was the only thing he new how to do, he wasn't really good at school.
As they sat there in silence, Sunny knew that he had to find a way to make his mom understand. He had to find a way to make her see that he was doing this for a reason.
Sunny's words hung in the air like a challenge, a stark reminder of the harsh realities of war. It took him a second to realize what he had just said to his mom, and as soon as he did, he felt a wave of regret wash over him.
"Oh boy," Alex said, nudging Sunny quietly, as if trying to warn him that he had said too much.
Sunny's mom sat stiffened, her eyes wide with shock and horror. "You have killed someone?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The room fell silent, the only sound the ticking of the clock on the wall. Sunny felt like he had been punched in the gut, like all the air had been sucked out of him.
Alex quickly jumped in, trying to defend his cousin. "It's war, mom," he said, his voice calm and rational. "Sunny's been a soldier for five years. He's seen some terrible things, and he's had to do some terrible things to survive."
Sunny's mom looked like she had been slapped. She sat back in her chair, her eyes fixed on Sunny's face. "Five years?" she repeated, her voice trembling. "You've been fighting for five years, and you've killed people?"
Sunny felt a surge of guilt and shame. He knew that his mom didn't understand, that she couldn't possibly comprehend the harsh realities of war. He wanted to explain it to her, to make her see that he had done what he had to do to survive.
But before he could say anything, Alex jumped in again. "Mom, you don't understand," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "Sunny's not a killer. He's a soldier, and he's fighting for our country. He's doing what he has to do to protect us."
Sunny's mom looked at Alex, then back at Sunny. She seemed to be searching for something, some sign that her son was still the same person she had known before he went off to war.
But Sunny knew that he wasn't the same person. He had been changed by his experiences, hardened by the harsh realities of war. He didn't know if he could ever go back to being the person he was before, or if he even wanted to.
Sunny's words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the harsh realities of war. "Mom, war is kill or be killed," he said, his voice firm but laced with a hint of sadness.
Alex quickly intervened, trying to soften the blow. "He just meant that, mom..." he started to say, but Sunny's mom raised her hand, stopping him.
"I know, Alex," she said, shaking her head. "I don't need you to tell me what Sunny meant." She turned her attention back to Sunny, her eyes filled with a deep sadness.
"What happened to my sweet boy?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Where did your smile go?" She stared at Sunny, searching for the carefree, happy-go-lucky person he used to be.
Sunny felt a pang of guilt and regret. He knew that his mom was hurting, that she was struggling to come to terms with the person he had become. He wanted to tell her that he was still the same person, that he still had the same heart and soul. But he knew that it wasn't true. War had changed him, had hardened him in ways that he couldn't even begin to explain.
Sunny's mom stood up, her eyes still fixed on his face. She looked like she was searching for something, some glimmer of the person she used to know. But Sunny knew that it was gone, lost in the trenches and the bloodshed of war.
Without saying another word, Sunny's mom turned and left the room, leaving Sunny and Alex in an uncomfortable silence.