Joshua stared in shock as Henry stood up, closing the distance between them step by step until he was towering over him.
His hand, clenched tightly at his side, looked as though he were bracing himself to face the entire world.
Joshua was in college now—he'd meet all kinds of new people, people who made him laugh, people who weren't a "block of wood" like Henry. When Henry returned home and heard everyone talking about how cheerful Joshua was at school, he appeared calm on the surface, but waves of emotion rippled through his heart. It made him feel reckless, unlike himself—unlike the disciplined man he had been raised to be.
Joshua…
"You know everything," Henry repeated, his voice laced with something almost stubborn.
Joshua stammered, instinctively taking a small step back. An ominous premonition rose in his chest. "W-What do you mean by that, Henry?"
"Don't mess with me!" His voice came out louder than he intended, as if raising it could make him feel braver.
