My Best Friend's Brother

Waves

Hyunjin woke up from his nap and faced the light of the sunset. It was beautiful, the way it painted an orange glow on the white walls of the room. His eyes felt dry and heavy from being puffy still.

He checked his phone and unlocked it to see the picture that Felix sent still on the screen, immediately lifting his mood some.

He stretched his stiff muscles and dragged himself down the stairs. He was met with the wonderful aroma of a homecooked meal, immediately making his stomach rumble and remember the fact that he had not had anything other than coffee the whole day.

"Oh Hyunjin, you're awake. Are you feeling better? Your father said you weren't feeling well." Alice spoke from the kitchen. She looked so domestic, a white apron with red ruffles and strawberries on it wrapped around her waist. She was draining the water from a pot of potatoes while simultaneously cooking steaks in a pan.

Hyunjin scoffed to himself. "Of course he would say that." He mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" She asked.

"Nothing. Sure, I guess." He shrugged.

"Well why don't you have a seat, dinner will be ready in just a minute." She called out as she returned her attention to the food on the stove.

She called out for Yeji and asked her to set the table. Henry followed shortly after and took his seat at the head of the table, causing Hyunjin to roll his eyes, an act that Henry was oblivious to.

Alice put the food on the table and took her seat across from Hyunjin. Yeji took the seat right next to her father.

Alice reached her hand across the table toward Hyunjn and grabbed Yeji's hand with her other one. Henry reached out his hand as well, and Hyunjin looked at them confused.

"Can we say a prayer before we eat?" Alice asked, her hand not wavering from where she placed it.

Hyunjin raised his brows and looked between Alice and Henry. "I'm not religious." He responded.

"Oh. Well I guess that's fine." She grabbed her husband's hand instead and the 3 said a prayer while Hyunjin sat there awkwardly.

Once they finished their prayer, Alice served their plates with food and they started to eat in silence.

"So, Hyunjin. Do you follow any religion?" Alice asked him.

"Nope. Mom was catholic for a while but she left it behind. Found it hypocritical." Hyunjin responded, casually continuing his food without looking up.

"How so?" She followed up.

"Mom, you know that's a no-no when it comes to dinner conversations. Right up there with politics." Yeji scolded, giving Hyunjin a soft smile.

"It's just dinner conversation Yeji. If he doesn't want to answer he can just voice it and of course we don't have to discuss it." She clarified respectfully.

Hyunjin shrugged his shoulders. "Well, for one, divorce is a sin in the catholic faith. She said that decision was the best she ever made so she can't imagine feeling shame for it."

Alice awkwardly nodded her head.

"Also, she believes that people should be able to be whatever they want and express themselves however they want to. She didn't want my brother and I to deal with the pressure to be a certain way or love a certain way." He looked at his father when he said it.

Alice looked around uncomfortably.

"Well I think that's admirable." Yeji stated with a smile.

The conversation fell silent after that for a while.