*buzz* *buzz* *buzz* *buzz*
Without even opening my eyes, I reached for my phone and pressed the power button, ending the call. Before my mind could even begin to drift back to sleep, however, my phone buzzed again. Whoever was calling me either had to be incredibly stubborn—or couldn't take a hint.
With a loud groan, I opened my eyes. The ceiling light burned my retinas for the first few moments, causing me to squint. I waited until my eyes adjusted before grabbing my phone. It was Mom.
Huh. So I guess it's neither and both at the same time.
I accepted the call and put the phone to my ear. "What is it?" I asked, trying to sound as though I had been awake and productive the whole time.
"Sorry, did I wake you up?" she asked, her soft voice carrying a tinge of guilt.
Mom had seen right through me, but I continued to keep up the act. "No, it's fine. Why did you call me?"
The reply that came through wasn't Mom's voice, but Lily's high-pitched scream from the background. "It's time to eat dinner! Hurry up and come down! Dad already prepared a bowl for you!"
"Lily!" Mom chided, the volume spike forcing me to pull the phone away from my ear. "Don't scream from across the table when we are eating dinner. It isn't proper manners!"
Even though the topic wasn't serious, Lily talked back immediately, although half-heartedly. "Who caresssss? It's only you guys here, anyway. There's no one to impress."
A loud *thump*—probably the phone being set on the dinner table—echoed through the speaker, followed by the muffled bickering of Mom and Lily.
I covered the speaker for a moment of silence, but even from upstairs I could still vaguely make out bits of their argument.
Ever since that big fight between Mom and Lily a month ago—while they have 'swept it under the rug'—they've been fighting more often recently. It's always about the little things, so no one ever takes it to heart—probably.
Suddenly, a soft ruffling sound came from the speaker, and with it, a bright, childish voice. "So, will you be joining us for dinner?" Dad asked carefully. "If you don't want to, it's okay. I can eat your portion for you!"
I stared at the ceiling, thinking over his suggestion. If I had to choose between eating dinner with my family or staying in my room, I'd always choose my room. But when Dad is being so… genuine… even I had a hard time telling him 'no,' outright.
I let out a loud sigh. "...I'll be down in a couple minutes."
A rough scrunching sound came through the speaker, as if the phone had been dropped and quickly caught. "Are you sure? If you're tired, it's no pro–"
"I'm getting out of bed. See you in a couple of minutes."
Without waiting for his reply, I ended the call and continued lying motionless on the mattress. I told Dad I'd join them, but two more minutes wouldn't hurt anybody.
Just as I slipped my hands under the pillow to get comfortable, my fingers collided with something soft, thick, and entirely out of place. My body shot upright instantly, the last traces of relaxation gone.
What was that?
I never put anything under my pillow, so the fact that something was there felt wrong. I lifted my pillow, and there it was: a small white duck plushie, no bigger than my palm.
My eyes narrowed as I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. I didn't even need to think very hard to know how it got there. Lily.
I was sure there hadn't been anything under there when I slept last night, which meant she must have put it there when I was out earlier today.
What a very Lily joke.
My room didn't have any plushies. The ones from when I was a kid had all been thrown away. Some by me, some by my parents. I just didn't have a use for them, so there was no point in keeping them.
Plushies were just plushies, after all.
…
I let out a quiet breath as I pushed myself off the bed and opened my closet. I crouched down and placed the plushie at the very corner of my closet on the floor.
The plushie didn't match the aesthetic of my room, so I couldn't leave it out. But I knew that throwing it out wasn't an option either.
I shifted the storage boxes where I kept my socks and undergarments to conceal the plushie. Once everything was settled, I gave it one last parting glance before closing the door and heading downstairs.
***
The moment I stepped into the living room, Dad quickly put his bowl down and greeted me with a bright smile. "Your dinner is already prepared. Please, have a seat." Grains of rice clung to his lips, making him rather childish despite being forty-seven years old.
I quietly crossed the living room and sat down in my usual corner seat at the dinner table. We rarely talked during dinner, and today was no exception—except for the slightly strained atmosphere between Mom and Lily.
Every movement Mom made was silent and precise; each one Lily made practically announced her frustration. Dad, however, continued eating as if he were completely oblivious.
They were probably still annoyed about the argument earlier. But it wasn't anything serious. They'd get over it by tomorrow. They always do.
There's no use in thinking about it. I'll just eat quickly and go back to my room.
Just as I was about to take my first bite, Dad let out a soft, sudden 'ah,' as if he had just remembered something.
"Son," he said with his mouth still full, "do you know what you wanna do when you finish high school?"
I waited until I took the first bite and swallowed before responding. Dad waited patiently the whole time. "Not really," I said dismissively. "I'll think about it when I get there."
Dad let out a small, high-pitched giggle. "Hihihi. That's fine. Just take your time."
The small talk ended there. Before the silence could settle back in, Mom set her bowl down with a sharp *clack* that drew everyone's eyes, including Lily's.
"Yes, he's right. There's no need to rush," she said, looking down at the bowl. Her voice was perfectly even—almost supportive. But my face grew cold, my lips flattening into a straight, unreadable line.
Mom lifted her gaze and looked directly into my eyes with that angelic, yet eerie smile. "But, if you want my opinion… I think you should be a doctor."