“I really don’t want to go to this thing.” Chigiri dramatically sighs, blow-drying his hair in front of the bedroom mirror as you iron his dress shirt behind him.
The representative of your class back in school contacted you and him, inviting you to a high school reunion. They told you that everyone would be there, and it’d be fun to rekindle old ties with friends from school. But Chigiri didn’t seem too eager on going there, especially without you.
“Come on, I’ll be there as well!” Holding the shirt out in front of you, your eyes scan the fabric for any leftover wrinkles. “I just have a few things to take care of before I can leave the house.”
Slipping off his T-shirt, he continues complaining as you drape the warmly ironed dress shirt over his shoulders from behind. “Try not to be so difficult.” A snicker escapes your lips.
“Your life is different now, you know?”. Buttoning his shirt up, you help him fold the sleeves to his forearms. The sound of your toddler babbling to himself as he plays with blocks lingers in the background alongside your words. “You’ve changed so much since then.” A hand of yours reaches up to cup his cheek. “Isn’t the point of a reunion so everyone can see how much each person has changed?” Sighing in defeat, his hand drapes over yours, thumb gently rubbing the back of your hand. “I guess I’m being overdramatic.” He sighs.
Examining himself in the mirror, he holds his chin in thought. “Are you going to do anything with your hair?”
“I don’t want to put anything in it.” He replies before parting it down the middle. “I just did my haircare. Not about to cake it up with gel.”
Receiving a sloppy kiss from his toddler, he left the house. Immediately, you got to work on the things you needed to handle. It wasn’t long before you were done, and now you needed to choose an outfit to wear. You went with a deep blue coloured satin slip on, complimented by white heels. Pairing this with a matching purse decorated with gold straps, you grabbed your keys and left the house, your child propped up on your hip.
As soon as Chigiri arrived at the venue, he was greeted with a plethora of smiles and excited former classmates. Most of which wanted to ask about how he got signed to a professional team at such a young age, some even asking for his autograph. It came as a surprise to him to be greeted with so many people who were focused on him – the complete opposite of how he was treated in high school after injuring his knee.
Just when he thought the coast was clear, the reason why he didn’t want to show up in the first place made its way to the front of the small crowd surrounding him. One of the people who made him feel even lower at a point where he was already miserable.
“Chigiri?” Brushing a piece of hair behind her ear, she giggled. “It really is you! I couldn’t miss that red head of yours!”
Muffled murmurs and comments could be heard from all corners of the venue as the attention he had from the small crowd began to expand.
“Look… I know that I wasn’t a nice person back then…” She spoke, making full use of the attention everyone was giving her as she always had. “But you’re all better now, right?” There it was, the intention behind her innocent façade.
She’d leeched off him for popularity when he’d been a standout player on his high school soccer team under the mask of ‘liking him’. And now that they were all ‘grown up’ she was trying to do the very same thing right in front of his eyes.
As Chigiri clenched his fists in frustration and opened his mouth to speak, a small voice sounded behind from the entry to the venue.
“Papa!”
The pitter-patter of a small child’s footsteps rushed towards the crowd, pushing through the legs of the surrounding people.
“There you are. You weren’t picking up your phone.” You wore a smile, walking up to the remnants of the now dispersing crowd. Noticing the girl standing in front of him, gobsmacked, you decided to test the waters.
“Hey! It’s been so long, how’ve you been?” Opening your arms for a hug, she stepped back as Chigiri bent over to lift his son up.
“I’ve… been okay…” She stutters, eyes widened as her gaze flickers between Chigiri and the small child who looks like a splitting image of him.
“Did you need something from Hyoma?” His first name rolled off your tongue like butter, seeming to be the catalyst for her to flee the scene. Her heels clicked loudly against the floor as she left the venue, humiliated.
You turn to your son who was now cradled in Chigiri’s arms. “I told you not to let go of my hand!” Your fingers reached out to pinch his cheek gently as he burst out into laughter.
“He was so fast - I turned my head for a second and he was gone.”
“Trying to beat me, huh?” He laughs, ruffling the child’s hair.
