Jock Next Bed (BL)
Chapter 167: Father or dad?

Chapter 167: Father or dad?

Breakfast had never felt this odd.

Not that Chris even had breakfast in the first place.

Sky and his friends sat stiffly in their seats, their plate in front of them untouched. Well, no one had begun eating anyway. Haha.

The dishes Sky’s mother had prepared smelled so lovely. However, the tension in the room was so thick it could have been served as a side dish.

Rain’s arrival did a good job shifting the atmosphere entirely.

It was almost comical how the moment she stepped in, every single one of Sky’s friends went still.

The air became suffocating. Even Noel, who sometimes never took things seriously, had a wary look. Chris didn’t also miss the way Henry subtly shifted closer to Sky, as if ready to intervene in case things got ugly.

Chris didn’t know the details, but he didn’t need anyone to tell him that whatever had happened between Sky and his sister was bad.

Rain, meanwhile, didn’t say much at first. She simply walked in, her sharp gaze sweeping over the room before settling on Chris. For a split second, it seemed like she was surprised to see him there. Her eyes sought out her brother’s briefly as if saying, ’seriously?’ before they returned to him.

And then, she smiled at Chris.

Sky saw it. Noel saw it. Henry saw it. They all saw it.

Chris, however, simply blinked at her. He nodded slightly, returning her small smile before looking away.

Before they could even process that weird exchange, another presence entered the room.

Mr. Sato.

He wasn’t exactly a tough man or the scary type that made you want to run away and hide. But his demeanor was just... well, the kind most fathers had.

Now, they were all seated around the table. As much as Chris would have loved to sit beside Sky, the sitting arrangement led him to sit beside Noel instead. Rubbish.

The woman of the house spoke up, folding her hands together.

"Before we start, I’d like to say a few words for Mother," she said softly, her voice calm but filled with a deep warmth.

The table fell silent.

Well, it already was silent before anyway.

Mrs. Sato took a breath. "She was a strong woman. The kind of person who always had something to say—whether you liked it or not." A small, wistful smile crossed her lips. "She had a way of making you listen. And though she’s gone, I hope we never forget the lessons she left us."

She picked up her cup of tea. "To Mother."

"To Mother," Rain murmured, raising her own cup.

Chris and Sky’s friends quickly followed suit, exchanging uncertain glances but doing the same.

Then, Mr. Sato cleared his throat.

"My mother was... difficult," he admitted, his deep voice steady. "But she cared. More than she ever let on." He paused, his fingers brushing the rim of his cup. "I only wish I had told her that more often when she was alive."

He spoke with heavy emotion. The weight of his words settled over the table.

Rain was next.

She exhaled, running a hand through her hair before speaking. "Grandma was one of the scariest people I’ve ever known."

Chris blinked. Scariest?

"But," Rain continued, a soft smirk tugging at her lips, "she was also one of the funniest. In her own weird way." She shrugged. "She gave me a lot of advice. Some of it was questionable. But she told me once that life’s too short to not be sincere with yourself."

Her smirk faded slightly. "I think about that a lot."

She raised her cup again. "To Grandma."

Another round of quiet toasts.

Then, all eyes slowly turned to Sky.

It was his turn.

Sky, who had been sitting stiffly, fingers curled around the edge of the table, felt his throat tighten.

He knew this moment was coming.

He just wasn’t ready for it.

His mother was watching him with gentle encouragement. His father, expectant but silent. Rain, waiting. His friends, unsure.

And across from him, Chris.

Sky swallowed.

"I—"

The words refused to come out.

His fingers clenched tighter against the table, his breath suddenly feeling too shallow.

Chris tilted his head slightly, his gaze locked onto Sky’s. Not pressuring, not pushing. Just watching.

He wanted to know why her death greatly affected Sky like this.

The silence stretched.

Sky’s jaw tensed.

What was he supposed to say?

"I, uh—" Chris cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter, rubbing the back of his neck. "I never met her."

Sky’s eyes flickered toward him, surprised.

So did everyone else’s.

"I didn’t even know about her until today," Chris admitted, his tone lighter but still sincere. "But... seeing all of you here, together, remembering her like this..." He gestured vaguely toward them, his fingers tapping against the table. "She must have been one hell of a woman. Sorry— I mean a good woman." He mentally slapped himself for using that kind of language.

Rain’s lips twitched slightly. Sky’s mother smiled softly. Mr. Sato just looked at him.

Chris shrugged. "I mean, not to be dramatic, but people don’t leave this kind of mark unless they’re really special."

A quiet hum settled over the table.

Chris exhaled, leaning back in his chair. "So, yeah." He raised his cup. "To the incredible woman I never met but clearly should have."

The tension cracked just a little.

Sky stared at him, something unreadable in his eyes.

Then, slowly—almost reluctantly—he picked up his own cup.

"To... Grandma," he murmured.

The others around the table smiled and they all clicked their cups, all of it meeting at the center.

Chris sent a small smile to Sky’s way. Sky didn’t smile back. But the soft look in his eyes was enough to convey his appreciation to Chris, which he understood.

And just like that, the moment passed. Finally, they all began eating.

Small casual talks happened around the table.

Until...

"So, Henry," Mr. Sato began, cutting a piece of his pancake with deliberate slowness. "Still no girlfriend?"

Sky nearly winced.

The same could be said for everyone else there including his wife, whose sharp gaze turned to him.

Everyone knew Henry did not like women that way. But Sky’s father never missed a chance to push his agenda on him.

Henry, to his credit, didn’t flinch. He simply offered a small, polite smile. "No, sir."

"Hmm." Mr. Sato took a sip of his coffee, his expression unreadable. "It’s been years, hasn’t it? You’re a good-looking boy. Surely, a girl must have caught your interest by now."

The comment itself must have sounded normal to bystanders—too normal—but the pointed weight behind it was unmistakable.

Henry’s grip on his fork tightened slightly, but his face remained neutral.

Noel, who had been mid-bite, put his fork down very slowly, eyes darting between them like he was watching a horror movie in real-time.

Sky’s stomach churned. He could feel the weight of his father’s silent disapproval pressing into Henry, like a hand squeezing too tight. And then he spoke.

"Even if someone catches his eyes, it won’t be a girl, dad. It would be a guy. And... it would be fine."

His father’s brow shot up as he looked at Sky.

It suddenly felt like the angel of death passed. It was so quiet that even the sound of faint breathing could not be heard.

Henry tilted his head to the side to look at Sky. He also seemed surprised by what Sky had said to his father.

Was this because of...

Chris was also innocently watching the scene with interest, but suddenly, he felt several eyes on him.

He looked around in confusion. What did he do?

Did they want him to help diffuse the tension in the room?

He thought hard before clearing his throat.

"The whole meal is delicious, Miss Sato. Like, criminally good."

The woman chuckled awkwardly. It seemed even her was affected by whatever was in the atmosphere. "I’m glad you like it."

Chris turned to her husband. "Sir, you must be living the dream with food like this every day."

Their father’s gaze turned to his direction, and his sharp gaze fell on Chris. The man’s silence was enough to make anyone feel heavily judged.

Sky felt his stomach clench.

Chris, however, didn’t falter. He simply gave Mr. Sato a bright, almost too innocent smile. "Seriously. I might have to move in. I’d be a great addition to the household. I don’t mean to brag, but compared to Sky, I’m a very adorable sweetheart."

Noel choked.

Henry froze.

Rain raised a brow, amused.

Mrs. Sato covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she tried not to laugh.

And Mr. Sato—the Mr. Sato—actually let out a short, surprised chuckle.

Sky almost dropped his fork.

Chris had made his father laugh.

Mr. Sato started, "Well, I wouldn’t doubt that. The cakes you made doesn’t taste as bad as they look. So you may be useful."

Chris grinned. "Perfect! Now, may I know what you prefer to be addressed by? Father or Dad?"