Strolling seemed to calm Joshua, as always.

After school, when he had no one to hang out with, he’d swing by his favourite spot, somewhere under a bridge close to home. He thrown himself down, letting the soft groundcovers cushioned his fall. Savouring the sound of waters crashing and swirling winds with his eyes closed, he let his mind wandered before focusing his view on the sluggish moving fluffy clouds above.

Drown in his own thoughts.

The hues of pink and orange was slowly fading into the dark, snapping him into reality. It was time to go home. He had enough of problems to deal with; nags from his parents would make his throbbing headache worse.

“Mum, Dad, Dino, I’m home” as Joshua announced his arrival, he kicked his shoes off his feet, replaced them with slippers, loosening his already loose tie in process.

“Shua-ya~!” greeted Dino ; his four-year-old brother, hugging him with all his petite might, showing his toothy smile.

His weariness disappeared when he saw the toddler. Is he doing aegyo? His lips curved into a soft smile, unconsciously. 

Joshua bent down and picked his brother up, ruffling his hair. Whines of protest formed from his pouty mouth as he tried to pry the large hands away. He cooed at his baby brother, chuckling at his cuteness.  

“Now let’s go and scare Mummy, now shhhh” Joshua had his mischievous face on- placed his index finger on his lips. Dino copied his gesture as he tiptoed to the kitchen with the toddler still in his arms.

“Mummy! Shua wanna scare Mummy!” Dino squirmed under Joshua’s hold, running as fast as his short limbs could, to hide behind the mother’s apron, tongue sticking out at his brother.

That brat is old enough to rat on him. Another unconscious smile.

“I didn’t hear you coming. Welcome home, honey” his mother smiled past her shoulder, resuming cooking dinner for the whole family.

“Hi, Mum”, Joshua went over and kiss his mother’s cheek. “Something smells nice”

“Don’t start with your sugary coat now” she laughed, playfully hitting his arm before instructing him to take his brother to wash up for dinner.

“Yes ma’am! Come on Dino-ya~” “Okay!”

Just as Joshua helping his brother, they heard the car sliding into the garage. Dad’s home; which meant dinner’s almost served.

And dinner went as normal as the family always had, full of chit-chats and laughs filling the dining room’s background.

“Mum, Dad, I’m going out for a while. Don’t wait for me”

His parents were having a conversation in the living room when he was leaving. Both of them bid goodbyes, wishing him to be safe. Not too long after, they heard the door slammed closed.

“Are you sure this is a phase? It’s been months and he still goes out at night” His mother was agitated. Her voice said it all.

“His grades are fine. He’s not even in trouble. What are you implying?”

“What if he is in trouble but he couldn’t tell us?”

Silence.

Joshua was still at the door when they discussed his behaviour. He was offended, but he knew his parents were wary of his new behaviour.

“It’s not like I’m a delinquent or anything” Joshua murmured “At least, not yet, I hope not”, as he put his hoodie on, earphones with maximum volume and walked away.

Joshua was never the same after it began.

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