Chapter 17…
Parents’ Day
Even sitting in the auditorium where the school promotional video was playing, I couldn’t focus at all.
The moment I left this place, a family meal awaited, and I could already vividly imagine myself sitting awkwardly alone among parents who all knew each other well.
I had contacted Aunt Dora, a friend of my mom’s, the day before, but of course, she said she had choir practice.
Apparently, her choir had won a festival in the summer and had been invited to perform at various events, big and small, ever since.
After congratulating her, I was about to hang up, but she asked,
“By the way, are you settling in well at your new school? Nothing unusual happening?”
I couldn’t tell her that I was rumored to be an outcast at my new school and that I might be the only one without anyone visiting on Parents’ Day.
If Mom knew, she’d insist on postponing my medical check-up, but that wouldn’t make sense.
Without private health insurance like ours, postponing a scheduled appointment could mean waiting months to reschedule.
Of course, I wasn’t sure if anyone in Branel would understand that excuse.
“I’m fine. Just… please take good care of Mom for me.”
Finally, the reception ended, and everyone rose from their seats.
I was heading toward the dining hall with somewhat heavy steps when I unexpectedly ran into a familiar face.
“…Uncle Denny?”
Liam’s father had come to the school.
“My goodness, Vivi. You’ve grown into such a young lady. Liam, weren’t you supposed to resist falling for her again?”
Liam, who appeared suddenly, jumped in, flustered.
“Father, come on!”
Uncle Denny laughed heartily.
Despite the years, he looked exactly the same as before, and upon hearing that my parents couldn’t come, he even moved my name tag to sit at his table.
Thanks to that, Liam and I ended up sharing a table with Uncle Denny, almost like siblings.
Even so, I would still draw some attention, but it was better than sitting alone like a loner.
Uncle Denny greeted a few parents around him politely—including, unfortunately, the chairperson of Branel and his spouse—and even made a suitable excuse for my parents’ absence on my behalf.
Then he introduced me to those seated nearby.
“Vivi and Liam were inseparable as kids, like mud and straw. Vivi, this is Helena, Eric’s mother and chairperson of this foundation.”
It had been a long time since I’d met the chairperson.
I hadn’t encountered her during the admission process or afterward.
Her light blonde hair and deep green eyes reminded me strikingly of Eric, which made a corner of my mind feel uncomfortably tense, but there was no emotion directed toward me in her gaze.
I could even sense her firm intention to pretend she didn’t know me.
“Hello, Chairperson.”
So I greeted her as if we were meeting for the first time.
“Pleasure to meet you, Vivi. Welcome to Branel.”
She responded in kind.
At that moment, Christina sprang up from her seat.
“Let’s take a picture together while we have the chance!”
Naturally, she wasn’t speaking to everyone.
She took her mother’s hand and quickly went toward Eric and the chairperson, while her father took a photo of the four of them.
Then Uncle Denny pulled out his phone.
“Shall we take a photo with Vivi too? It’s been a while.”
“That would be wonderful, Uncle.”
One odd thing was that no one asked about Mrs. Celina, Liam’s beautiful mother from Albania.
Perhaps noticing my puzzled expression, Liam leaned toward me and whispered.
“Mom divorced and went back to Albania.”
“What…?”
Seeing my shocked expression, Liam tried to console me.
“I’m fine. It happened a long time ago.”
Perhaps the reason Liam and I had longed for each other and couldn’t forget the other was because of the sheer happiness we had while living next door to each other.
Before Mom got hurt, back when she could play tag with us—just as I missed those times—Liam would miss the mother he could no longer see often.
However, this wasn’t the right place to discuss such matters, so I simply placed my hand over Liam’s hand on the table.
“Sorry, Liam. I wish I could have stayed with you.”
He smiled maturely and replied,
“You can stay with me from now on.”
The banquet hall, with chandeliers lining the ceiling, suddenly felt suffocating.
Sitting there in borrowed clothes, in a place that didn’t suit me, unable to talk frankly with an old friend—it felt completely out of place.
Just then, Christina, having returned to her seat, spoke cheerfully.
“The necklace looks so beautiful here, Chairperson. It has such a vintage feel—am I right?”
“Of course, Christina. This necklace has been passed down through generations at Branel.”
Then I heard Christina audibly gasp beside me.
“If I were to inherit something like that, I’d be so nervous I couldn’t sleep!”
Her confidence in assuming she would receive it made everyone’s faces turn red.
At that moment, I wasn’t sure why I looked at Eric.
Perhaps I was curious what expression he would make when someone like X—someone who would rather hide in the cleaning supply closet—said something like that.
But I quickly regretted that excessive curiosity.
Eric wasn’t looking at his ex-girlfriend or my mother.
His deep green eyes were on me.
Me, or Liam.
Or perhaps on our overlapping hands.
I hurriedly looked away to avoid his gaze, but the moment our eyes met couldn’t be undone.
“Vivi, you still live in Zarva, right?”
After the meal, as everyone rose together, Liam asked me.
“I’ll take you around Zarva for a bit since we haven’t had the chance. Let’s go together.”
“Oh, I…”
The first reason I hesitated was my parents, who didn’t know about Parents’ Day. The second was Liam, who didn’t know Mom’s current condition.
Mom might no longer be the lively Mrs. Jane Liam remembered.
That didn’t mean I was ashamed of her, but it was better to tell Liam in advance.
“Thanks, Liam. I have my library internship, you know.”
Liam tilted his head.
“You can’t skip it? Most kids will be gone today, so the library should be empty.”
I shrugged.
“Eric’s going home too, so I should help Miss Shellin. Let’s meet with our parents together next time.”
“That’s a good idea, Vivi.”
Uncle Denny chimed in, so I quickly greeted him.
“I was about to be lonely today, so thank you for looking out for me. I’ll be sure to pass on my regards to my parents!”
“Don’t greet me like a grown lady, Vivi. It’s awkward for me to see this mud-splattered kid suddenly grown up.”
Uncle Denny left with that cheerful joke, disappearing along with Liam.
Cars, parked haphazardly on the dirt road due to insufficient parking, were now slowly leaving the school.
The school day had ended earlier than usual, and I decided I’d rather go to the library early than return alone to the dorm.
Since hardly any students would visit, I planned to enjoy some quiet reading.
But when I arrived at the library, there was another large figure at the counter, besides the librarian.
Eric… why was he here?
“Uh…”
Seeing my flustered expression, the librarian clicked her tongue.
“What on earth are you two doing? I told you it’s fine to go home with your family today. No one comes to the library on Parents’ Day.”
