Their relationship wasn’t strained but neither had it been the same since conversation. They talked throughout their afternoon shift and bid each other farewell when it was time to leave. Nothing was out of the ordinary from an outside perspective but John sees judgment, even if it’s merely a glimpse in Daniel’s eyes. 

The disappointment John holds onto like a lifeline. 

‘Crowdstalker gets an ace once again! Fighting Chicken’s are totally jacked to claim the first place and nobody’s going to stand in their way, not even Royal Flash,’ a caster comments.

‘Royal Flash has been on a winning streak in the international scene lately, I doubt one loss would bruise their ego. Fighting Chicken, on the other hand, might have to check theirs. They’ve been delaying their supposed deserved win against teams from China and Korea, might as well be called the Flaking Chicken ,’ another bounces back with a reply. 

‘Sucks for Crowdstalker if he eventually retires - in his mid twenties and his career has yet to taste on that sweet, sweet international win high.’ 

John glances on the TV, watching a man play, well, Siege Fire. With furrowed brows and a moving mouth, nothing seems amiss to someone communicating with his members. Also, he’s young; twenties shouldn’t be brushed off as old but John knows the kind of people the game’s aiming for. 

Both casual and competitive wise but, at the same time, Daniel’s got a point.

Luis raised the volume of the TV and their eyes met when it happened. Fighting Chicken has become a topic talked about within the screen and John just ends the interaction with waning focus towards his console; its screen showing his character in the middle of his bedroom with a guest he has yet to greet - an NPC, fortunately. 

His sister has yet to arrive back from work and his niece, Charice, is currently dealing with her university. Only Luis was home beside John and the not-so little boy was pushing him to deal with the issue at hand. 

“I managed to get an extra ticket,” Luis engages him with a topic and John couldn’t ignore the hesitation dripping within the tone of his nephew’s voice. 

Ignorance wasn’t easy to display when the tournament was the only thing Luis talks about these days. 

“That’s great. How did you manage to get that though?” John replies back with interest. “It’s now a few weeks away from the tourney, I assume tickets are now sold out these days.” Also expensive, John thought to himself.

“Someone backed out so I didn’t have to buy another one,” Luis explains with a shrug. 

The nonchalance pressures John even further as was the grin Luis shows off when he unzips his backpack to present the tickets, both his and the other supposedly for John’s. Minutes have passed by before his nephew puts the tickets in a tupperware and loudly zips his backpack shut. 

They made eye-contact once more and the conversation ended there. 

-

The children, if it’s still appropriate to call them that, aren’t asleep. Midnight has passed by and the dining room still has their lights on. It wasn’t an unusual scene and John knew that the dining table will have papers scattered, folders opened widely, the consistent tappings of a keyboard and the quiet hum of music playing in the background. 

The scenery was completed with his sister looking intently on the screen of her laptop. 

She ignores him when he enters and never looks up when he sits down on a chair beside her. Whether the act was intentional or not didn’t matter to John, he’d prefer if hours went on and nothing happened between them. 

Even better, his sister won’t bring up this incident for clarification.

“Thought you’d be asleep by now or are you still playing your game?” But his sister notices him and removes her glasses to face him. 

John shows off his hands, free from his console nor anything game related. In the dining room, he was bare - not entirely explicit, he’s still wearing clothes of course - and it was a preferable option than having a distraction to stagnate the situation. 

“I have something to talk to you about,” John announces. 

This discussion could’ve been done earlier. After dinner, maybe, while the kids usually move to their rooms to do their homework or something. But Melissa, his sister, had dinner with a client and even when she finally arrives, Charice was quick to disrupt the impromptu plan. 

Leaving him getting dragged to his room with Luis quick to hand John his ticket and was forced to promise to keep it safe. John displayed his sincerity and offered to show Luis to a drawer where his ticket was tucked over a couple of receipts and pens. 

“I’m sure you know about the upcoming tournament Luis was told he couldn’t go until he has an adult chaperoning him around Nazareno City and he chose me,” John continues.

Melissa nods, understanding where the conversation is heading. “I am aware and always had a hunch that he’d prefer you over anyone else, even over his friends’ parents or siblings. Obviously, I’m never a choice, regardless if I’m the last person that’s available.” 

“Yeah, he already gave an extra ticket for the event but I have yet to plan a leave for that time.” 

“So, you agreed to take him and his friends to the event,” Melissa concludes and John simply nods as a response. He was willing, theoretically, but facing the actual situation head-on differs in experience. 

“You don’t look like you actually want to,” she points out and begins gathering her papers into a pile. Folders were slowly closed one by one before she saved the document she wrote in her laptop. The music was also paused. 

“I don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb because of my age,” John confessed. It was easier to say it than be confronted by the truth from Daniel as his sister was older than both of them.

She embraced her white locks and, in an intense workfield, sleepless nights and restless days of reading articles and case reports have deepened the crow’s feet and eyebags on her eyes. The lines on the edges of her mouth were contradictory to its actual name as Melissa was known to frown throughout her years doing her line of work, regardless if there’s something to celebrate about. 

“Think like that and you’ll actually stick out like a sore thumb. Besides, no one’s going to care about you there. Even Luis. There’s going to be a bunch of people fighting against each other on stage and you’re going to be the last thing people will remember in there.

“Also, the event’s not about you. It’s about Luis and the team he’s cheering on,” Melissa continues, “nevertheless, you’re free to deny Luis and it won’t be your fault. Sure, he’ll get mad but that’s something he’ll have to accept. He’ll have to realize you’re never going to be there for him forever.” 

The seconds ticks before it turns to a minute and John nods. “Okay,” he says afterwards and again, “okay.” 

“Good,” Melissa bounces back with a message before turning away from John and starts reading a book that was hidden behind a thick row of folders. 

He stood up when his sister’s attention drifted further away from him and even as he dragged his chair louder than he would’ve liked, she didn’t complain nor call him out for his mistake.