A Love Of Silence ll

"Sora, welcome home." 

"Hm." Sora gave his dad, who was having dinner alone, a quiet reply. His two brothers, already finished with their dinner, are already in their rooms. His mom now cleaning up the aftermath that is their dishes. "You're later than usual," Sora's dad followed up. 

I guess that took quite a while. She ended up showing me 3 or 4 more mangas before I told her it's getting a bit too late. I'm surprised that she was still staying at the manga café after that.

"Sora, have you ate dinner?" Her mom questioned him, only to be replied by a silent shake of the head. "Good thing I haven't cleaned up the table. Go have dinner with your dad."

Before doing what her mom told her, he scanned the dining room. He looked at the table where his father was eating alone. Then at his mom in the kitchen. And simply through his eyes, he was able to hear the sound of the room through his headphones. It's silent. 

Sora tried taking off his headphones. Other than the sound of the sink and the clanking noise of the plates, his perception was right: The room was quiet. And because of this, Sora didn't mind eating dinner with someone else while not wearing his headphones. "Thank you for the food." Sora was also in a pretty good mood. 

Realizing the anomaly with their son, her father and mother gave him a look of amazement, a look which Sora clearly felt piercing through his body. Please stop... Stop making a fuss every time I do something different...

"Sora, here, take this." Filled with excitement from the possibility that Sora is starting to open up, his dad starts shoving all kinds of food on the table to his plate, "You don't eat much during breakfast. Sometimes you don't even eat breakfast at all. I don't think the sandwich you always for lunch is enough. C'mon, eat this."

I'm managing just fine... stop forcing me to eat them... just... let me eat in peace... 

"Mom, Dad, I think I'm gonna join the soccer club," a noise came from the stairs. While directed at his parents, the statement also forewarned Sora of what's about to happen in the next few minutes. 

"Oh, Natsu, good for you! Clubs are really important now that you're in middle school."

"Oh- Sora, you're back kinda late today, huh?" Natsu noticed Sora and their dad eating together. "Wow, you're not wearing your headphones on the table. Did something happen?" 

Oh no... Sora lets out a sigh inside his head while trying to simply focus on eating. I know they're my family. And I know they're just trying to have a normal conversation. But, it's really disturbing... And this is why I sometimes go home after dinner time...

"By the way, Sora, you just bought the new chapter of "Fight On!" right? Can I borrow it for a few days?" 

"Sure." Despite being irritated Sora managed to keep his emotions at bay and gave his younger brother a brotherly response. I'm still not in the mood for a heavy action series, anyways.

"Thankyuu! Anyways, mom, dad, I was thinking, since I'm gonna join the soccer club, can I buy some new soccer shoes? The one's I have right now a-"

"NATSU!!! I'm gonna stop helping you with your homework  if you're not back right now!" a second noise came from upstairs. 

"Yuta!!! Please, wait a minute!! I'll be right there!! The one's I have right now are kinda tight and are really worn out. Can I buy a new one?" Natsu continued after briefly interrupted by his eldest brother. 

Sora tried to not be affected by the noise around him and the unreasonable amount of food given to him and continued eati-

"NATSU!!! C'MON, I ALSO HAVE HOMEWORK TO DO!!" 

Sora paused. While holding chopsticks, his hands stood still in midair, suspending its mission to bring food into Sora's mouth. During this pause, a slight regret came to him: Maybe he should've worn the headphones after all.