The chicken was all cleared, with Zeno eating the least amount.
“Are you ready to go home now?” Moby asked, causing Gaby to stiffen.
Zeno knew that the little girl still didn’t want to go home. However, she truly had no choice.
The three of them entered Moby’s truck, and Zeno could see how she stiffened in nervousness.
“Do you mind if we bring her home first?” Moby asked. “The rain isn’t letting up.”
“Go ahead,” Zeno muttered, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
Just as Moby started his truck, it only let out a sputter before turning off again. He froze in his seat before chuckling.
“Sorry, it does this sometimes,” he said. “This truck has been with me for 12 years.”
“It’s even older than me?” Gaby asked.
Moby chuckled once more before trying to start the ignition. It had the same result, probably even worse than the first attempt. It whined and groaned and somehow… meowed?
Zeno frowned. “Did you leave a cat inside your engine?”
“No,” Moby said, shaking his head. “It’s just how it is sometimes. I can make it work.”
However, even with his assurance, the truck, in fact, did not work.
“We can just take the bus—”
The rain started pouring even harder when he said that statement. Along with that, the air had become colder.
Moby sighed. “I guess we have no choice but to call your dad to fetch you.”
Gaby’s eyes widened. “I thought Dad was in Busan.”
“He was,” Moby said. “But I texted him before we went to the restaurant, and it turns out he’s back. I’ll tell him to pick us up here instead.”
“I’ll call for a mechanic. The two of you can go to Sir Bobby’s car. You wouldn’t mind again, right Zeno?”
“No,” Zeno said.
He didn’t like the feeling of wet shoes, so he would take the car ride without any complaints.
After a few moments, Bobby’s equally beat-up van finally arrived. He had a huge umbrella, and he escorted Gaby toward the car, opening and closing the door for her. Zeno followed right after, going to the backseat with Gaby.
It was then that he realized they weren’t alone.
In the front seat was what Zeno assumed to be Bobby’s wife. She looked exactly like Gaby (thank goodness), and she appeared to be very upset.
The mood inside the car was already weird, but it became even weirder when Bobby entered with a sheepish expression.
“Sorry about that, Gaby,” Bobby said, trying to light up the atmosphere. “Your Uncle Moby’s car needs to be replaced now, doesn’t it?”
Bobby’s wife scoffed, and in a stern voice, she muttered, “How can he even buy a new car when you can’t pay the rent of your office?”
“Seulgi, please,” he whispered, but his wife merely crossed her arms in front of her chest.
The car turned silent once more, and at that moment, Zeno wondered if running through the rain would be better.
“We’re going to take you to your unit first, Zeno,” Bobby said.
“Sure,” Zeno said, turning to look out of the car window.
They were engulfed in awkward silence, but Zeno actually preferred it. He didn’t want them to address the elephant in the room when he was still inside the car.
However, Bobby had to run his mouth off.
“So, honey,” he said to Gaby. “Why didn’t you tell Dad that your music school fees haven’t been paid for the month. I’ll talk to your piano teacher and—”
“It’s alright, Dad,” she said in a fake cheery voice. “I won’t attend the recital anymore.”
Bobby’s eyes widened while Seulgi turned to her child.
“Why not, sweetie?” he asked.
Gaby pursed her lips. “I’m not yet ready,” she said. “Oh, and I don’t like playing piano all that much.”
“But you said you wanted to write music when you’re older,” Bobby muttered.
Gaby shook her head before avoiding eye contact with her parents.
That was when all hell broke loose.
Zeno could feel it already. It seemed as if they were in an overfilled dam, and it was just waiting to crack the concrete and flow out.
“It’s your fault,” Seulgi said, her voice resonating in the car.
Even the sound of Philip Hwang’s song through the radio couldn’t tame the tension in the air.
“Oh no,” Zeno whispered, looking at the locked door and wondering if he should jump outside.
“You waste everything in that damn company, knowing it doesn’t bring us the right amount of money,” she said. “You can’t wait to drive your artists to Busan and feed them fish when you can’t even buy your child an instrument she likes!”
“Seulgi,” he muttered. “We can talk about this later—”
“And what?” she exclaimed. “Postpone it for another day? Get it through your thick mind, Bobby! This job of yours isn’t helping our family at all. Amby prefers staying in his dorm. Gaby feels like she needs to adjust to our needs when she shouldn’t! She’s a child, for goodness’ sake!”
“When have I failed to meet your needs?” Bobby exasperatedly asked, his hands gripping the steering wheel. “I’m doing my best to put food on the table, pay for our rent, and give our children the best education. This is my passion—”
“And clearly, that’s not enough!” Seulgi exclaimed, causing Gaby to cover her ears with both hands. Zeno sighed, took out his headphones from his bag, and placed them on the young girl’s ears.
She looked at him with wide eyes, but Zeno merely connected it to his phone and played some loud metal music so she wouldn’t be able to hear them arguing.
“Passion does not pay the bills. I’ve supported you before you even made that fucking company. I even helped you name it. Dreamy—that one’s a mistake because clearly, everything is stuck in your dreams, huh?”
“Wake up, Bobby,” she said.
Bobby bit his lip.
“Is this because I didn’t find the time to pay for her piano lesson fees? I’ll do it right now!”
“You know it’s not just that,” she said in a louder voice. “It’s everything. It’s the fact we’re always so anxious about our money.”
“Seulgi,” he sighed, sounding desperate. “I told you—this year is going to be different. We have Zeno—”
“I’m sick of that, too,” she muttered, cutting him off. “I’m sick of your promises.”
“How many times have you told me that it’s finally going to get better?”
“I’m sick and tired of your lies and empty words. You never once fulfilled them.”
Bobby’s head hung low, and it was at that moment that Zeno realized how big the hole was in their family. They must have loved each other; however, even then, their circumstances had broken down such a great, strong love.
“Gaby does not tell us anything, but I know. She gets made fun of because her items are old. She’s not ready for the recital because she can’t practice at home. She settles with practicing on our tiled floor instead, but it’s not enough.”
“If you can’t even buy your daughter such a small thing, then maybe you shouldn’t have started a family with me after all.”