Chapter Text
it was dinner time. utensil noises rang in the kitchen, your siblings' annoying bickering, your dad's stupid boasting, your mom's annoyed face, the cats meowing, literally chaos. you sat there looking at everyone. "how annoying..." you thought to yourself. gripping your shirt to suppress the pent up irritation due to the scene. loud noises, stupidity, everything around you stirs your emotions to the point that makes you want to rip your hair out and scream at them at the top of your lungs.
but you didn't. you can take it a little more.
"your cousin told me your artworks are beautiful... and she mentioned this instagram thing", you looked at the direction of your mom, who's holding her phone, head chinned up and looking through the bottom part of her specs. "mhm, she follows me there and likes my artworks. instagram is an app where you upload photos." you replied, reaching out for your phone to show your account and your uploaded artworks.
"here," you said, motioning your head towards your phone's screen that is showing your instagram account.
you clicked on an artwork and scrolled while your mom looks at it. "mm.. it's pretty. and it doesn't look funny. i mean last time you made the eye too big and ugly." she said smirking. as if what she said is so funny.
you exit the instagram app and put your phone aside. those backhanded and confusing words ringing in your head over and over.
"what does that mean?" you said to yourself, feeling stabbing pain sensation deep in your chest. "is she making fun of it or am i being too sensitive again?"
you can't take it out of your mind. you remembered the last time she looked on your unfinished artwork. "it's beautiful... but why is the eyes like that? and the nose is too big." your mom snickered and left.
it confuses you and hurt you. is it an insult? a compliment? but why does it hurt? is it okay to be hurt? am i being too sensitive? why am i being so stubborn towards her? am i too much?
is my art that bad? i guess the features looks really weird huh. is me expressing my emotion on that artwork funny and making it too deep as it supposed to be?
uncertainties clouded your mind and doubts towards your hardworks slowly conquered you.
--
it's afternoon and you're craving for fresh air. your home is suffocating you and a little breather seems great.
you thought of your destination as you walked, deciding whether to go on the nearby park, the art store even if you're broke or.... wait. you stopped on your tracks and smiled.
"the bunnies!"
you skipped on your steps and hummed your way to the place where you can feed bunnies who's being taken care of in a cage!
upon reaching your destination and excitedly walking towards the adorable animals, you noticed a person who seems to be in their own world.
his dark greenish-blue eyes reflecting the bunnies he's looking at with the help of the sun. he looks beautiful. especially with the two beauty marks below each of his eyes.
you joined him and squatted too, a few steps away from the stranger. you noticed him glanced to your direction and quickly looking away not even a second later.
it's around 4 pm and the sun is on its way to set in the west, gradually being covered by the tall mountains. the fresh feeling of the wind occasionally brushing past you, the leaves on the tress dancing by the wind's rhythm.
it's a beautiful afternoon.
you stroke the white bunny in front of you, feeling every bit of its soft fur brushing against your skin. you observed every little movement it does which you found entertaining and calming. like laying on a soft warm bed after a rough weekend.
you don't really think deeply about animals that much but whenever you go here it feels like a momentary escape from the harshness of reality. a soft cushion to rest on after battles of being passed around by hard blocks over and over.
the time you spend petting and looking at the rabbits living their own world is always nice.
curious, you stole a small glance on the person beside you who you now realize looks very familiar.
you jumped at your place when he looked back at you with an annoyed expression. brows furrowed and nose slightly scrunched, those dark greenish-blue eyes piercing through you.
"what?" he said, with a slightly deep voice covered with a cold tone.
you regained your composure, "you look very familiar..." you muttered to yourself. "wait, are you our neighbor? the owner of that white cat who plays with my cat milo?" oops. you felt that you talked too much again.
"yes, i am." he replied shortly, side eyeing you.
he dusts off his deep blue colored jacket and black pants, getting ready to leave.
"oh, okay.. cool."
you turned your attention back to the rabbits. you didn't hear a reply from the boy and only the sound of his steps leaving can be heard. progressively fading as he walks away.
"damn" you muttered. "this is the first time i experienced this cold treatment."
that was the most awkward and cold conversation you've ever had with a stranger.
--
not even a few minutes later you decided to go home too. you can't just sit there for a whole hour since you tend to get easily bored.
after dusting off your clothes and blowing a kiss to the rabbits for some unknown reason, you now make your way back home. a feeling of familiar dread washing over you again. the thought of stepping into that suffocating household slowed your advancing steps.
"ahhh..! i don't wanna go home yet" you whined to yourself, swaying your body like a child who is not favored.
you halted when you saw that guy ten minutes earlier at the bunny place caressing your cat milo, along with a white cat pawing a pebble just a few meters outside your house.
"miloo~" you cooed to your adorable black cat who always wear an expression of pleading with big green eyes. you caressed him and cooed him a little more.
bunnies and cats... they're so cute and fluffy!
you turned your attention to the boy you met earlier and smiled sheepishly.
which he replied with a blank look.
you raised your eyebrow and let out sigh, "let's go milo" motioning your cat to follow you. but the stubborn creature seems to be enjoying his play time with his new furry friend.
"milo, let's go home" you said again, this time firmly. but just like the first time, your cat acted like he didn't hear you.
enjoying yourself huh. you thought while looking at the cats playing.
you both awkwardly watch the two cats play. rolling, fighting over the pebbles, biting each other, and running. living their own world.
"what's the white cat's name?" you asked, breaking the unbearable stiffness of the atmosphere.
"fumi"
"oohh, what a nice name"
then silence, again.
you occasionally force your cat to go home but he seems to not listen. you can't just leave him in the streets! and you can't lock the gate with him outside.
you sighed in defeat and just like at the bunny place, you join the boy watching the animals and squatted too. the guy in front of you seems to be lost in his own world again, hugging his knees close to his chest.
what an intimidating person.
you brushed the back of your neck to ease the tension that the situation is giving you.
after a while, a voice of a woman rang through the place. "oh? yota-chan is that one of the neighbor's daughter? did you make a friend?" an old woman who has silver white hair appeared from the gate of the house next to yours.
you immediately stood up and bowed as a form of respect, "good afternoon, ma'am" you greeted smiling, which turned into a frown when the boy made the situation more awkward.
"no, i didn't make a friend mom." the boy next to you said, wearing that irritated expression again.
"ah, this kid! come inside lady, i cooked some bread. come get some and bring it home!"
what a nice mom he has.
you were greeted by a hallway full of amazing artworks which you scanned one by one as you went inside. "those are yota-chan's art pieces! he did that when he was just a kid. he's a genius isn't he?" your jaw dropped mentally after you heard her. he's into arts too and he's at this level?!
your doubts towards you art furthering more.
the nice woman handed the cookies over to you which are wrapped in a nice paper bag with a patterned heart design.
"here, take this at home." she smiled, patting your hand that is holding the bag. she looked over her shoulder, eyes on his son who seems to be preparing food for his cat fumi. "yota-chan! go come with y/n and greet the neighbors too."
"why?" you heard the cold toned coice again. "well of course to make friends! you've always been like this—
i didn't raise you well i guess."
the mood dropped in an instant. you felt something blocked your throat, unable to even open your mouth.
did i hear that right?
with a lot of effort you fortunately managed to get your voice out and break the ice cold mood.
"uh.. it's okay ma'am i-" you were interrupted when the boy walked towards you, obviously against his own will.
her mom nodded while wearing that smile that you find really nice just a moment ago. but is now very doubtful.
you thanked her for the hospitality and the cookies once more and exited the house.
"i'm sorry. i mean, i am very familiar with that kind of situation too and so you don't have to force yourself to... you know, greet my family." you said, making your tone nice as possible.
what you said is a fact. you know that feeling very well and forcing someone who is obviously not comfortable on doing something is wrong.
"no"
then a pause, "it's fine."
you replied with a little nod. at least you offered him that.
"mom, i'm home!" you shouted. opening the wooden front door.
"oh dear are you the son of mrs. takahashi next door?" your mom beamed, motioning for the guest to come inside.
the boy nodded, hesitating to walk but gave up and just proceeded inside your house, clearly not liking it.
"what's your name young man?" your mom asked, always a loud woman that she is.
"takahashi yotasuke", he replied along with a bow.
"oh y/n have you introduced yourself to him?" you mentally rolled your eyes, shy to introduce yourself.
you faced the boy and slightly bowed. "hello my name is [y/n], nice to meet you." you said fast, which he replied with a bow also.
"oh right yotasuke here also draws! i saw his artworks on their hallway earlier when i came over. it's all amazing, really! try to get some tips from him sometimes."
your heart sank on what you heard. she never said those things when it comes to your works and the last sentence is so unnecessary. why would she say that? is she pertaining that your art is inferior to his? can't she just be contented by all the hardworks i put on my art?
your mood plummeted and you can feel tears welling up at the corner of your eye. which you tried your best not to make it fall.
"thanks. then, can i leave?" yotasuke asked to your mom, pointing towards the door.
"yes of course! go tell your mom my gratitude, okay?" your mom replied smiling. she told you to walk yotasuke outside and continued to do what she was doing in the kitchen.
you walked towards the gate with yotasuke, and give each other exchanging bows as a goodbye. you watched his back walking away and you thought,
"moms are similar, huh."