Hai wobbled as he made way towards the dining table, holding his painful back.
"Guiren, how could you be so harsh towards your one and only most adorable best friend! Ow, ow!" His face made a myriad of expressions as he sat down.
"Jinhai, why aren't you eating anything?" Liling pouted.
"I already had breakfast, Aunt."
"Nothing says you cannot have a second one. Growing children should eat lots!" She harrumphed.
"Brooo, have a takoyaki. It's super yummy!" Jianyu sheepishly slid a plate full of delicious takoyaki.
Jinhai thought about it. "I cannot eat full. Let's take half-half."
Jianyu bobbed his head.
Meanwhile, Hai said enthusiastically. "Hey kiddos! Do you wanna hear the wonderful story of how I met Guiren?"
Jianyu blinked. "Dad told us about it and how he got stuck with you."
"Pfft," Liling burst into laughter.
"Guireeen!!!" Hai clutched his chest. "How could you break my heart like this?"
Guiren glanced up once, then returned to reading his newspaper.
"And don't you laugh, Liling. He got stuck with you too!"
She grinned. "I came with the package~ Besides, the stuck-up sentiment is only for you," she rolled her eyes. "I am his favorite~" she then blushed.
Hai sniffled. "Such injustice…Anyway! How about you hear a story of how Guiren and I had gone trekking one day and we faced a mountain lion! Liu Hai saved the day, hoho~"
Jianyu blinked. "Dad said it was a mountain lion's cub."
"..."
"He also said Uncle grabbed his arm and ran away at first sight of the cub. Mama lion would have killed you," he nodded seriously.
"..."
"Guireeen!!!" Hai clutched his chest a second time. "How could you break my heart like this?"
Guiren calmly flipped the page of his newspaper as if none of the chaos concerned him.
Hai cleared his throat. "Anyway," he began again, sitting straighter despite the aching protest from his back, "there is a very deep meaning to this story."
The two brothers stared at him.
"Wh-What I mean to say is…"
Their eyes were fixed and unblinking.
"I mean the moral of the story is…"
Their heads tilted in sync.
"That you shouldn't venture too deep into the woods! It's dangerous!"
Liling's elbow slipped and she half-stumbled on the table.
Jianyu pouted. "But we have never played in the forest."
Hai nodded. "You should steer clear of them!"
The last page of the newspaper made a flipping sound, and Guiren folded it neatly. He rose from his chair and eyed Jinhai.
"I am going to bake some butter cookies. Would you help me?"
Jinhai blinked. "Me?"
"Yes. Would you?" He smiled.
Jinhai nodded and got off his chair.
Jianyu happily raised his arms. "I will help too!"
"You stay here. You will study with Uncle Hai and catch up on the subjects you missed today at school."
Jianyu and the said uncle - "..."
Hai sheepishly grinned. "But Guiren, I used to come last in exams."
"Only because you were lazy. Get to work."
"..."
—
They sat across a small kitchen table with baking utensils and ingredients placed neatly side-by-side. Jinhai got the job of whisking eggs into the flour, which he diligently did.
"Your father doesn't know what to talk about when it comes to himself."
Jinhai paused and looked up, blinking.
"Don't stop whisking."
So, he resumed.
While Guiren took out some butter, he asked in a slow and measured voice, "Do you think you feel afraid of him?"
"Dad? No," was his point-blank response.
"Even after what happened last night?"
Jinhai's gaze lowered, his fingers clutching the bowl's edge with a dismal grip. His gaze darted, once to the left and once to the right, almost as if he would cry out but was holding back with all his strength.
"It was my fault, Uncle. I shouldn't have left Jing alone. Then Huian wouldn't have hurt him…"
"No, it's not your fault. You and Huian and friends, so it was natural to trust her. There was nothing wrong with it."
"I should have known," at that point, his lips started quivering. "She was angry at me because I played with Jing more than her. She didn't like him that much."
"I see. That just goes to say that not everyone reacts properly in the moment."
He looked back at him, tilting his head.
"She reacted poorly and hurt Jing - like how Hai reacted poorly without listening to you first."
Guiren poured in the butter. "He is not good at explaining himself, but he is a good man. He is a good man who was in a bad place for a long time. That bad place…makes him see bad things at times."
"Bad things?"
"Yes. Bad things which bring bad memories for him."
Jinhai stared, then said slowly, "I think I know what Uncle wants to say."
At that moment, both shared a tacit understanding of the day Jinhai referred to.
Guiren placed his hand over his head. "He loves you with all his heart. Hitting you would never even cross his mind. So he thinks you will start to fear him."
"I am not scared of Dad," Jinhai blinked.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"He said you weren't talking to him much."
"Because I left Jing alone. I didn't take good care of him. I thought I…" he wasn't sure how to put the right words.
"Disappointed him?"
With tears very close to brimming his eyes, he gave a nod. "Jing got hurt because of me-"
When a pair of arms embraced him warmly from behind him, Jinhai found himself unable to speak. He blinked several times, perplexed.
"You didn't hurt Jing," Hai's trembling voice whispered in his ear. "I am sorry. I am so sorry, Jinhai. You are a good brother. You are a good brother…" his unfocused gaze stared in the void before him, his voice barely audible, "unlike someone I knew…"
His forehead buried in his shoulder, squeezing him within his arms. "I am sorry. Somehow…I keep failing my promises. But don't hate me, Jinhai. Please don't hate me. I am sorry I raised my hand. I will be a good father now…So pl-please…."
"I know. Dad is a good Dad."
Tears only poured out further, wetting his shirt. He somehow willed himself to look his son in the eye.
"I am not afraid of Dad."
'Chunhua, are you afraid of me?'
'Uh? No.'
'Do you think you feel afraid of him?'
'Dad? No.'
Hai's eyes reddened. His palm reached out to hold his cheek, his trembling fingers caressing it. The red outline around Jinhai seemed to becomea shade fainter and duller.
"You are really…Chunhua through and through."
