The Things You Don't Ask For
Morning arrived quietly.
The storm that had shaken the house throughout the night had disappeared, leaving only damp streets and the faint scent of rain drifting through the open windows.
Sunlight slipped across the living room floor in narrow strips, catching the dust that floated lazily in the warm summer air.
Wei woke slowly.
For a brief moment, he couldn't remember where he was.
Then he felt the familiar weight of the blanket over him and heard soft voices coming from the kitchen.
"...Mom, where's my lunch box?"
"In the cupboard. And don't wake your brother."
"I wasn't trying to!"
A pan clinked gently against the stove.
Someone laughed.
The house was already awake.
Wei blinked once before sitting up on the futon.
The events of the previous night returned little by little—the storm, the thunder that refused to stop, studying until neither of them could keep their eyes open, and somehow falling asleep without ever going home.
He glanced beside him.
The blanket had been folded neatly.
Jian was already gone.
A quiet knock sounded on the half-open door.
Jian peeked inside.
"You're awake."
Wei nodded.
"...Sorry."
"For what?"
"I stayed."
Jian looked genuinely confused.
"It was raining."
"...Still."
"You would've had to ride home in that."
He shrugged as though the answer were obvious.
"It wasn't a big deal."
Before Wei could reply, Jian's mother called from downstairs.
"Jian! Tell Wei breakfast's ready!"
"I did," Jian answered.
Then he looked back at Wei.
"Come on."
Breakfast was as lively as every meal in Jian's house seemed to be.
Jian's younger sister was already halfway through her rice, talking faster than anyone could keep up with.
"...And then Teacher Lin said the drawing looked like a duck, but it was supposed to be a rabbit!"
"It did look like a duck," Jian said.
"It did not!"
His mother laughed while placing another bowl on the table.
"Don't tease her first thing in the morning."
"I'm telling the truth."
Wei sat quietly at the edge of the table, listening more than speaking.
The conversation bounced from school to grocery shopping to whether the neighbor's dog had escaped again.
None of it was important.
Yet somehow...
it filled the room.
His bowl never stayed empty for long.
Each time he finished something, Jian's mother naturally reached over.
"Have some more."
"I'm fine, Auntie."
"You're studying all day."
She smiled.
"Eat."
Wei accepted without arguing.
No one seemed to notice the small hesitation before he picked up his chopsticks again.
Or perhaps they did.
Either way, nobody made it feel embarrassing.
When breakfast ended, Jian stood and grabbed his school bag.
"We should get going."
Wei thanked Jian's mother before stepping outside with him.
The morning air was warm again, yesterday's rain already giving way to another humid day.
They walked toward the bus stop together.
Neither of them spoke much.
There wasn't anything that needed saying.
At the intersection, Jian stopped.
"Aren't you going home first?"
Wei nodded.
"I should."
"You forgot some books yesterday."
"I know."
"I'll see you this afternoon?"
Wei looked at him.
"...Yeah."
Jian gave a small nod before heading toward his own street.
Wei watched him disappear around the corner before turning in the opposite direction.
His apartment building stood only a few blocks away.
Tall.
Clean.
Quiet.
The security guard greeted him with a familiar nod.
"Morning."
"Morning."
Wei stepped into the elevator.
The doors closed with a soft metallic sound.
Floor numbers lit up one after another.
Everything felt strangely still after the noise of Jian's house.
The elevator stopped.
The hallway was silent.
His footsteps echoed faintly against polished tiles as he walked toward the apartment.
He unlocked the door.
Click.
The apartment welcomed him with silence.
Not the peaceful kind.
Just...
silence.
The curtains had already been opened.
Everything sat exactly where it belonged.
The sofa cushions were perfectly arranged.
The dining chairs tucked neatly beneath the table.
No dishes in the sink.
No television.
No voices drifting from another room.
Only the low hum of the refrigerator somewhere in the kitchen.
Wei slipped off his shoes and placed them beside the door.
The apartment looked exactly as it had yesterday morning.
As though nobody had been there at all.
He set his bag beside the sofa before making his way into the kitchen.
Sunlight reflected off spotless countertops.
A shopping bag rested neatly on the table.
His parents must have stopped by before leaving for work.
Inside were neatly packed groceries.
Fresh fruit.
Imported yogurt.
Two cartons of milk.
A box of vitamins.
Everything carefully chosen.
Everything expensive.
Everything practical.
Wei carried the bag to the refrigerator and opened the door.
Cold air brushed against his face.
The shelves were full.
Prepared meals stacked neatly inside labeled containers.
Fresh vegetables.
Juice.
Even his favorite pudding sat on the top shelf.
Someone had remembered what he liked.
Someone had remembered to buy it.
His eyes drifted to a small note attached with a refrigerator magnet.
Heat dinner before eating.
Don't stay up too late studying.
Nothing more.
Wei looked at it for a long moment.
Then, almost without realizing he had spoken aloud, he whispered into the empty kitchen,
"...They bought all this..."
His gaze moved slowly across the full refrigerator.
The neatly arranged food.
The vitamins.
The careful preparation.
A small smile appeared on his face.
It didn't quite reach his eyes.
"...but they didn't even ask."