What if?

Chapter 9: Family Day

Nick

I am now here in the bathroom taking a shower. I still can’t take out of my mind what Mom and Dad said a while ago in our dinner. Imagine, they said that they would buy me a massaging chair too. and besides, they said that tomorrow is our family day. This family is just so warm to me, I don’t deserve such treatment. I am really excited for tomorrow.

I finished taking a bath and went out of the bathroom. I got out and saw the bed. “Yes! No Michael for tonight.” I exclaimed. I am not just happy that now Mom and Dad are around, I am happier knowing that if they are around, Michael can’t annoy me and sleep in my room tonight.

*Knock *Knock *Knock

I heard someone knocking. I am not wearing my sleepwear so I decided not to open it yet. I hurried to put on my sleepwear. “What is Janice knocking?” I asked myself. I opened the door.

“Hi!” Michael said. After seeing him I immediately closed the door. Why the hell is he here? “Ouch!” Michael shouted. I opened the door after hearing him. Not because I care about him, I know he is acting but it is because I am afraid that Mom and Dad might hear him.

“You know what, you are quite an actor aight?” I said as soon as I opened the door. “I was hurt, I am not lying.” Michael replied. “Shut Up! Why are you here?” I asked Michael in a serious tone.

“I want to sleep here.” Michael answered. “No! The deal was, “You sleep here if Mom and dad are not around, but if they are you are not allowed to sleep here.” I explained to Michael.

“But I can’t sleep without anyone beside me.” Michael replied. “That’s not my fault. Try to drink milk. They said it will help you sleep.” I replied. “In my case, drinking milk to sleep is not applicable. Like me, I just can’t sleep.” Michael explained. “Have you even tried to sleep?” I asked Michael. “Yeah!” Michael answered immediately. “Really? Did you even go to the bathroom before doing so?” I asked Michael. “Of course! It just happens that you take a very long time just showering.” Michael replied. 

“Did I really take a long time in the bathroom?” I asked myself. I looked at the clock on the wall to see the time. s**t! He is right, I was there for 14 freaking minutes. I was daydreaming about what happened today and what will be happening tomorrow. 

Michael saw me looking at the clock so he also looked. “See? I think you were in the bathroom for 15 minutes.” Michael said as he turned his look at me. “No it wasn’t 15 minutes, it was just 14 minutes.” I replied shyly and slowly looked down. 

“It is still.” Michael replied, trying to annoy me. “Shut up Michael, don’t change the topic. I will still not let you sleep here.” I replied, trying to change the topic. Actually, I was the one trying to change the topic not him but because I can’t find any reason so I blamed him. 

“What?! I was not the one changing the topic, I was just explaining my side.” Michael answered. This guy just doesn’t know how to lose. “The answer is NO if you really want to sleep here.” I replied without giving any reply to what he just said. 

I then closed the door after finishing what I wanted to say. The main reason why I don’t want him to sleep here is because I need some privacy too. Sometimes there are words that I want to say just for myself. Also, I have a habit that I really like talking by myself so yeah, how can I talk to myself if he is here in my room? This is the only place where I can even have some privacy and some time off for myself.

Whenever Michael is in my room, I can’t sleep well because he is very noisy. He plays games before going to sleep and he doesn’t even bother to turn off the volume. 

I jumped on my bed and released a heavy sigh as if I just went back from a tiring job. “I am so excited for tomorrow.” I said then prepared myself to sleep.

The Day

"Mama"

[Romanized:]

Careless, careless.

Shoot anonymous, anonymous.

Heartless, mindless.

No one. Who cares about me?

Irheobeorin chae wemyeonhaneun geot gata

Chamuel subakke eobseo

Nuneul gamjiman

“Ughh!!|” I exclaimed and turned off my alarm clock. I used my phone as my alarm clock because I just put it on the desk beside my bed. “This song is really good for alarm.” I said to myself.

I chose EXO’s song MAMA as my alarm clock because of its melody, it will really help you to wake up after hearing. I changed it yesterday before taking a shower. I don’t know but I am so into EXO nowadays.

I hurriedly took a bath and went downstairs. “Look who’s excited?” I heard someone say so I turned to look who it was. “What’s wrong with being excited? I think you are too because you are also early.” I said to Michael.

Michael is here in the living room, sitting while his feet are on the desk in front of the sofa. “I am not excited, it is only because I was not able to sleep well because you did not let me sleep with you.” Michael replied. “It is not my fault you can’t sleep well.” I replied and also sat on the sofa.

I saw Janice walking straight to us. “You too should eat already.” Janice said. “How about Mom and Dad?” Michael asked Janice. “Your Mom and Dad have an urgent meeting to attend early in the morning.” Janice said.

What Janice is saying doesn’t make sense. “Don’t tell me… ugh!!! This always happen, sorry Nick.” Michael said as he turned to tell me. “It is okay.” I replied, trying to process my emotions well. All my excitement was replaced by disappointment. “I can’t believe that they did this to you. Ugh! This is so frustrating.''Michael exclaimed while rubbing his face with his hands.

I can see that Michael is really mad. Does it usually happen to him? His Mom and Dad planning for something that ended up not going with the plan? Now I know why Michael kept on saying that he isn’t excited about it at all.

“I thought that they would not let you down since you are just new to this family yet they have already disappointed you already. I am really sorry Nick. If you want, we can go together, just us if you want.” Michael is trying to comfort me with his words. “No, it is okay. I think it was important that is why it was urgent. We should try to understand them too.” I replied to Michael trying to ease his madness.

I looked at Janice trying to ask for some help but when I turned to look at her she signaled me not to say anything while shaking her head left and right. I think Janice is right, I should not say anything anymore, because if I do, it will only cause him more emotions and maybe he will end up ignoring our parents.

I turned back to look at Michael, I was about to hold his hand when he grabbed his phone and dialed a number and called. “Mom, What happened to your so-called plan? You know what I feel so upset right now and so disappointed also not because I wanted to bond but because of you disappointing Nick.” Michael said. “Son…” Mom replied. Michael dropped the call before Mom was about to finish what she wanted to say.

So it was Mom whom he called. “You are not supposed to do that.” I shouted at Michael while grabbing his shirt. He just looked at me with his sad eyes. After seeing his eyes I released my hands away from his shirt. “I am sorry.” I said to Michael while looking down. I can’t find myself looking at him because I know that he is really disappointed in his parents, and it is because of me.

“I thought they wouldn't treat you the way they did to me. If it is me I can take it but you? NO.” Michael said then stood up on the sofa we were sitting on and started to walk upstairs.

“Ughh!!! Why is he being like this over me? This is so frustrating.” I sighed and exclaimed. “Michael had a hard time begging your parents to adopt you. I think now he is thinking that your Mom and Dad haven’t accepted you totally yet in this family.” Janice replied. “It doesn’t make sense, I can feel how genuine and true Mom and Dad were when they told us that they wanted to spend time as a family.” I replied to Janice. “That’s it. I believe that Michael knows his parents are true when they say something like that even though he has been in this kind of situation countless times. He just got so upset because this time, it is not him but you.” Janice explained.

I still don’t get what Janice is trying to say. “Why does he care so much? I don't even give a thing about it. I mean, Yes! I was disappointed but not to the point I will disrespect them. They have a job and it was urgent, there is nothing we can do with that.” I replied back to Janice. “You don’t understand. Michael cares a lot more about you, he was even upset with his parents because of that. He just treasures you so much that he can’t let anyone hurt you, not even his own parents.” Janice said.

Now what Janice just said surprised me. I can’t believe this, I know he cares a lot for me but to this extent that he will do this to his parents is over.

“I have to go upstairs. I need to talk to Michael.” I said to Janice and stood up. “Don’t do that. Please, let him have some time to process his feelings first.” Janice said. “Fine, I’ll just talk to him later then.” I answered and went upstairs. When I reached upstairs I looked at Michael’s door which is on the other side of my bedroom. I was trying to resist myself from going to his room. So I quickly went inside my bedroom and locked the door.

Michael ( Flashback )

After Nick closed his door because he did not want me to sleep in his room I went to Mom and Dad’s room because I wanted to say something. I knocked on the door three times and finally they opened it. “Michael, what got into you? Do you need something?” Mom asked. “Can I talk to you and Dad?” I asked Mom. “Of course, go in.” Mom said and opened the door wide. I went inside and sat on their bed. “Son, why are you here?” Dad asked. “Michael wants to say something to us.” Mom answered dad.

Actually, I really thought about this for a while, Mom and Dad always planned something like going somewhere but all of it ended in nothing, none were successful. I don’t want to disappoint Nick because I promised him that I will take care of him and I really love Nick as my brother and friend.

“Mom, Dad, have you two cleared your schedules for tomorrow?” I asked while holding both of their hands. “Yes we did.” Mom and Dad replied to my answer. “Why is that?” Mom asked. “I just don’t want tomorrow to be unsuccessful and Nick ended up being disappointed.” I replied to both of them while looking at their eyes so that they can see how serious I am with my words. “You genuinely love Nick so much.” Dad said while messing my hair. “Dad, I am not kidding here. Please promise me, both of you, that you won’t disappoint him.” I said to Mom and Dad while tightening my hold to their hands. “We won’t.” Mom said. “I want you to promise.” I replied. “We promise.” Mom and Dad both said.

“What’s the use of promising when you can’t even do it. This sucks!” I exclaimed as soon as I entered my room.

I am so mad right now. How could they do that to Nick? They did this to me a lot of times and I don’t care how many more times but doing this to Michael is just so upsetting.