***
She smells a very tasty smell as she arrived downstairs. It comes from the kitchen, she knows what exactly the smell is.
“Mushroom Cream Soup!”
Another old lady, a very familiar one. Coming from the kitchen with a bowl of creamy soup. She feels like tears coming from her eyes.
The old lady put down the bowl on the dining table, right in front of her. “Mary…”
“Your favourite, Catherine. Or should I say it was?”
“No… it still is” she smiles. “I… thank you!”
Mary smiles, and you can see her wrinkles very well at the end of her eyes. It wasn’t there the last time she remembered. Time do flies.
She eats the soup slowly, it’s still hot. “Should I get the bath ready?”
“No, you don’t have to. I think I’m just going to wash my face and brush my teeth after this”
Mary nods. “Then, I should just get the amenities to your bathroom. Anything else?”
“I think that’s it”
“Alright, Catherine,” says Mary before she left her.
Mary was the babysitter of Catherine. Her parents are very busy, so, they hired Mary to look after baby-Catherine. Mary was there when her parents couldn’t, she knows everything about her very well.
Ben and Sam also had a babysitter, but they only here when the boys were still babies. She thought after she left DC, Mary would stop working. But, well, she didn’t. She’s here. To look after the boys, that’s clearly the reason.
After she finished her soup, she goes back to her room. She actually hasn't opened the door when Ben showed her and gave her an explanation about the situation of her room. Now she will open it.
“…Ah, of course!” She laughs. Looking at the wall of her room, the paint doesn’t look new like the rest part of the house. But it feels weird, somehow, having this kind of theme at this age.
The room is bigger than her room at aunt Harley’s, and this room is also cheerfully painted. If you think it would be princess-themed or another girly themed kind of room, you’re wrong. Because, it’s red, white and black themed wall. The same colour as her used to be favourite cartoon character, Mickey Mouse. There’s also a few of Mickey wall-stickers and toys. Of course.
“I think they should just renew it…”
***
“Good morning, Catherine.”
A friendly greeting was heard when Mary opened the window in her room and the sunlight wakes her up. “Uh… yeah- good morning. What time is it?”
“9 am. Should I prepare the breakfast first or the bath?”
Catherine yawns, “Where are they?”
“Ben left for class at 7 and Sam just leave a couple minutes ago to the office.”
She nods, “Oh, anyway, it's bath first.”
Today was really boring, it is not even reached 7 p.m surprisingly, now the clock shows us that it’s 2 in the afternoon. She was reading a book, waiting for Ben to come home. Mom said, today they should pick up her uniform. School starts on Monday, so she should prepare everything- the bag, stationery, uniform, everything.
“Hello, I’m home.” the door opened, “Uh- Catherine? Mom said… Oh-”
Mary walks into the living room, “She’s been asking when you are going to be home all day”
“I see…”
“Should I wake her up?”
“Do you really want to wake her up? I mean… look at her” They both laughs.
She took her book off her face, how long she has been asleep? And why she feels so tired, she did nothing today. That’s weird. “We should pick up the uniform!”
Ben stares at her- confused, “You’re awake”
“Ben, mom said…”
He sits down right beside her, on the couch. Taking a sip of his drink, she’s a hundred percent sure it’s a coffee, judging from the smell. “I know, and I already brought it here, Mary already took care of it. You don’t have to worry”
“Oh… sorry, I fell asleep. I should’ve go with you. I’m curious how does my new school looks like” she sounds so excited, “Is it far from here? Can I take the bus?”
Ben raises his eyebrows “You don’t have to take the bus, you’ll go with me”
“No, Ben. Don’t you have to go to school too?” Ben laughed, right after she finished her sentences. “What’s so funny?”
“I think you didn’t know it yet, so I’m going to tell you. Catherine, we’re going to the same school. That is why you’re going with me, you don’t have to take the school bus. You're also going home with me” Ben explained. “I insist.”
“Ah okay… Ben?” she stares at him for a second, hesitates to ask. “…I, uh”
He exhales “Since when you’re hesitating like this to me? What is it? Just tell me”
“I was wondering… are you free tomorrow? I need to go buy some stuff if you won’t mind and if you don’t have any plans, of course.”
“….you’re asking me out?” this time, he smirks. “Okay, I’m sorry. No. I don’t have any plan or classes tomorrow, we can go.”
“Go where?”
a man in a suit shows up, Catherine is kind of shocked. He looks so different. Is this even my brother? I agreed if there’s someone said that he’s good looking. Because he is.
“Nounya, sir. It’s my date, not yours. Don’t tell him anything, Cat.”
Catherine laughs and nods. “Okay, I should go to my room to prepare for tomorrow. See you later, madame,” says Ben.
Today they catch up on everything, at the dining table they share stories. About… everything, literally. Ben told Catherine that their schoolmate will be loud, and annoying. He didn’t know about Jiyeon just yet, if he knew, he’d know that the other ‘loud’ person is nothing compared to her.
It’s their first dinner as a whole-three in the last 5 years. You can’t imagine how happy they are.
“I wish we could be like this every day, I mean… look, the three of us are here having dinner. It’s rare, really. I usually eat my meals in my room or the living room while playing video games”
Sam scoffs. “You usually didn’t eat at home, you’re outside- every time.”
“Oh, maybe you’re just too busy to notice that I’m home, buddy,” says Ben, he laughs- sarcastically. He did it on purpose. “But, maybe it’s true. I’m outside all the time. Who knows?”
What is happening? “Um… is everything okay?” She finally opens her mouth.
Sam is still staring at Ben. His stares look plain like it doesn’t mean anything but somehow it will scare the hell out of you. And suddenly, he smiles. “We’re okay. Right, Benjamin?”
“Hah, yeah, of course, we’re okay.” Ben looking down his plate, then continued eating his food.
I don’t understand.
Ben came back to his room after he finished his food and bid her a good night, she’s still at the dining table with her oldest brother- confused. She’s obviously confused.
“I’m sorry, I ruined it.”
“-Uhm?” She turns her face to his direction, “Oh, i- it’s okay. It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself. Maybe he’s not in a mood or something? R-right?”
Sam laughs. It’s her first time to see him laughing like that. “He didn’t. He is not in a mood because not in a mood is not Ben. He’s just like that”
“What do you mean by that?”
Sam wipes his mouth, putting down his fork at the side of his plate. Facing her with a serious expression this time, it’s scary. “Listen… actually, we- no, I mean, Ben and I are not really close”
“It seems like you two didn’t get along so well”
“Yeah, you can say that. We are not. In fact, at all.” Sam exhales his breath, “He became rebellious, at school nor home. I don’t understand. It happened right after I graduate”
Now she understands. But, he’s the same for me. “But, he’s the same to you, now I know he’s just become rebellious to me. Maybe he has his own reason, I don’t know. But, Catherine please help me. Don’t let him ditch any class at school.”
“…He ditches classes?”
“Oh, he ditches everything.”
***
Ben, has a date today, with a very beautiful girl on their block. This should be something to show off. So, “Hey, Cat?”
“Hmm?” She turns her face to his direction, smiling. “Hey! No. You’re not allowed to do that.”
Ben giggles. He shows her the picture he just took with his phone. “You look cute though. If I post this online maybe I’ll get rid of those girls”
“……Those girls?”
Ben tucking his phone back into his pocket, “Oh. The school- our school, is full of that kind of people. They’re loud and annoying. To be honest.”
Is that why he ditch classes? “Are they that annoying?”
“Catherine, trust me, they are. Well, at least for me.”
Catherine stops walking, she takes a look at a storybook in front of her. “Have you tried to befriend with them? Or at least talk to them? They could be very fun, right?” She’s reading the front cover of the book.
“…You’re still the same kitty cat I know. Always sees the good in everyone, even when it’s not there. But, unfortunately, be friends with them won’t change anything.” Ben laughs. “But I do have friends. Don’t worry”
She laughs, recalling how does it feels like, not having someone around to talk to, nobody is asking how was your day and else. That’s… awful.
“Even if you don’t, you still have Sam.” She puts the book in the cart, it’s full of stationery and a couple storybooks. School is starting and she doesn’t have any supplies.
She heard a very deep exhales before Ben says “Well, Sam…”
Catherine stares at him, she’s concerned. It’s written on her face, clearly. I know it, something is wrong with them. “What’s with him?”
“Sam is Sam. Kitty cat, you should know that I’m very happy that you’re here. I’ve never thought this kind of day would come. I mean- look, I’m buying supplies at the bookstore with my sister. That’s rare.” If it’s not in public she would be crying right now. Tears of joy they said.
Ben looked so happy, he’s smiling like a 5-year-old kid at some kind of park with an ice cream on his hand- wandering around, or a kid at the Zoo looking at those scary wild animals.
But, no- it’s a 19-year-old boy at a bookstore accompanying his sister getting school supplies. It’s as simple as that, but he is happy.
“Hey, you’re okay?”
Catherine blinks her eyes, “Oh, yeah- of course.”
“You just zoned out, I think. Something’s bothering you?” She laughs, and so is he. “Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?”
“You looked funny. You should look at your face! I was just zoned out and you looked like I’ve been hit by a car or something like that…”
“Why are you laughing? What’s so funny?”
“That was the time when you said you’ll treat me. But you left your wallet at school, remember?”
“Stop it. You told me you will forget it”
A flash of flashback.
She chuckles and continues, “…..forget it. Anyway I’m done, are you?”
