(Art of ghoostyee On TikTok)

Your father took you to meet him. He says he works a lot with him, that he’s important, that you should respect him. You don’t know what to expect until you see him:

—Asi que eres su hijo eh? —his voice carries a proud, firm tone, with that northern accent that doesn’t soften, no matter how hard he tries.

You nod, trying to keep calm. It’s not that he intimidates you, but there’s something about him that makes you feel watched, evaluated. As if he already knew you’ve been away for years and wanted to see if there’s still some of this place in you.

—Se nota que te falta sol —he jokes, crossing his arms—. Europa te habrá dado muchas cosas, pero aquí es donde se templa la sangre.

You don’t know whether to laugh or blush, so you just respond with an awkward gesture, and that pulls a half-smile out of him.

He steps closer, lowering his voice a bit: —No te preocupes, compa. Aquí también tienes un lugar. Aunque hayas volado lejos, Monterrey siempre sabe cómo jalar a los suyos.