Early in the morning. A humming sound could be heard. Interspersed by a sizzling noise. Seemed like the person was in the happy mood. A good smell was filling the air which could make someone drool. Yes, the sound was from the kitchen. A man was excitedly making breakfast.

As he finished everything he started filling the bowls and plates with the food that he cooked carefully. Put them on the table.

“Oh, smells good” someone muttered when he was pouring the chocolate milk into a glass. He looked up and smiled at his sister who was smelling the food. She sighed as she saw only two plates that placed on the table. It meant that one person was missing.

“He has to work in the office until late last night” Lay said answering the question in his sister’s mind. Yeah, although this happened often, he knew that her sister still felt disappointed in his father. But, he and her sister understood enough that their father did it for them. Therefore, he as the oldest child and as her one and only brother, he tried really hard to take care of her. As a father to cover their father who had a little time to spend with her and as a mother to replace their beloved mother who had slept peacefully at her new home.

“Let’s eat!” he said ruffled her hair as he sat on the chair beside. She gave him a small smile. Her heart lightened up. She didn’t know how she could pass the day without her brother as their farther couldn’t do so.

As usual, Lay waited in the car waiting for her sister who took a look at her reflection in the mirror, tied her shoelaces, and locked the door as her habit. If they running out of time, she ran quickly while carrying her shoes to the car. He even has to honk the horn as she took so long. Not because he did mad at her but to prank her sister. That kind of thing made him happy.

He started the engine as her sister has got in the car.

Just like in the morning, he hummed a song that was playing on the radio. He even tapped his index on the wheel while moving his shoulder following the rhythm of the song.

“Are you that happy?” His sister said seeing him like that.

“Of course” he smiled widely and brightly. She chuckled at her brother. She knew for sure what made her brother that happy. She was happy as well. When she heard that news from him she knew that he really loved that kind of thing. She relieved that he found a work that suited him well.

It has been hours from the morning, the smile on his face never subsided. The reason was because he saw the beautiful smile, the cheerful laughter, and the innocent face of the children. But there was one more thing which made Lay’s smile even wider and brighter. He met his little friend from a few days ago. A friend who he got close within a short time.

A minute since the bell rang has passed. All of the students in that class has gone out and gave him a wave. He was still in that class. Waiting?. Yeah, He was waiting for that one child who made him chuckled continuously at his actions. Lay waited him to tidy up his things.

“Done?” He asked as he saw the child walked toward him. He grabbed that small hand naturally. Leaving the class. They were walking through the hallway.

They joked while waiting for someone at the entrance of the school. The child’s mom. But the person hasn’t come yet. As the other child has been picked up by their mom or dad, he decided to take the child to the piano class.

The wall was painted with light blue. There were some trees on it. A swing under the tree, green grass was drawn as well. Some tiny chairs with many kinds of color. One word to describe that room. Beautiful.

Lay was playing the piano to cheer the child up from boredom. Bored of waiting for his mom. He managed getting rid of boredom as the child sang along with him.  

Yumi tapped her index on the wheel repeatedly while looking at her wristwatch. She has been stuck in this state for an hour after leaving her office 15 minutes ago. Stuck in that long traffic jam. She was late for 27 minutes. She couldn’t do anything. She was praying quietly in her heart that traffic jam not take longer.

She sighed as she arrived at the school. Parked her car and got off of her car hurriedly. She walked toward the entrance. The hallway was so quiet. There was no child around. She knew that she late. She walked toward her son’s class as she knew that he always waited there whenever she was late. She gasped. He wasn’t there. Where is he?, she thought.

There he was. She sighed in a relief when she saw her son in that room. That room with open door. The piano room.

“Shhh!” she heard someone shushed her as she stepped in to the room. She turned around looking for that voice owner. Him? She said under her breath. The man walked toward her.

She watched the man who walked one step ahead of her closely. The man who insisted to help her hold her son to the car. She knew that it wasn’t his first time holding a child. The way he was holding her son properly. Not awkward at all. Her lips curved a small smile.

“Please open the door!” He said interrupted her thought.

“Thank you so much” she bowed at him. “It’s the second time you help me, but I don’t even know your name yet” she added.

“Ah, that’s right. I’m Yixing, but you can call me Lay for short!” he stretched out his hand. “And your name?” he added as Yumi shook his hand.

“Yumi. Shin Yumi” She said pulled away her hand “I come here every day to pick him up, but I never saw you before, I think?” she added

“Ah. I’m new teacher here. I got accepted yesterday” He said. But what did she say? She came here every day? It’s mean that I can meet her every day? No no no. What was that? What did he think actually? His tried to snap out of his wild thought.

“Lay-ssi?” She made him jolt. He scratched his neck shyly.

“Once again thank you” she said before made a small run to the other door. She smiled at him as she started the engine leaving him behind. He smiled back. He giggled as he remembered what he had thought. 

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