Page 24

Visha

“Visha! Did you finish up the cereal again and leave the box?!” he shouts from across the apartment.

Man, he sure knows how to be annoying at the crisp of dawn. Yeah, I did, and he knows that, so why’s he even asking? Who else in this place could be the culprit other than me?

I don’t bother answering and bury my face in the navy-blue pillow. It’s way too early to argue over some damn cereal.

“Get up you little shit.” Aoi bursts into the bedroom and yanks the blanket off me.

I shiver from the sudden change in temperature and groan in annoyance. “Go away.”

When I first started living with him, he let me sleep in his bed and he took the couch. Eventually, we started sleeping in the same bed.

My favorite moment of the day.

At some point he asked me if I wanted him to clear out his office to make it my room, but I refused. Having my own room meant not sleeping with Aoi anymore and that was out of the question. What kind of dumbass would give up such an opportunity?

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“What’s up your ass this morning?”

“How many times have I told you to stop putting empty boxes in the cabinet?” He pulls out a sweater jacket from the closet. “I’m gonna have to go grocery shopping. Get your ass up. It’s past eleven a.m.”

He sighs and crosses his arms over his chest, piercing me with his ocean blue eyes filled with more irritation than necessary.

No way, it’s already that late? Ugh, I hate getting up, but you know what I adore? Angry Aoi.

This man is the handsomest individual I’ve ever encountered, and I’m blessed with the privilege of living with him. He treats me like a kid though and that pisses me off. I’m not a kid anymore, okay? I’m already fifteen.

Aoi took over the responsibility of raising me and caring for me like a parent would. He cooks for me every day, buys me clothes and sends me to school. He’s a parent in all aspects of my life but that’s displeasing.

I don’t want to be his child nor his little brother but that’s how he sees me ever since he took me in.

I pull the covers back over me which grants me a grumpy scoff. Any sound coming from him is music to my ears, but he needs to stop complaining for a second, seriously.

“I have a dinner appointment tonight. Don’t wait for me. I’ll cook you something later and put it aside so you can heat it up.”

Aoi focuses on pulling up his zipper, barely sparinga glance at me. His voice is calm as usual, but he seems distracted. I lift my head up to watch him. He’s fixing his hair with his fingers, smiling casually to himself.

He has a dinner appointment? With whom? The idea of Aoi having dinner with some rando pisses me off.

“Who are you going out with?” I ask, my voice still husky from sleep.

He glances at me through the mirror and a sad expression appears on his face. It only lasts a split second then he instantly goes back to the all-smiles man he is.

Fucking hell, now I’m mad.

I only know one person that can extract such a wistful smile from the embodiment of sunshine that is Aoi. I’ll never be able to understand why he keeps going back to that bastard. It’s evident that it breaks a piece of him every time he comes back home.

“With Jason,” he says. “We haven’t seen each other in a while, and he asked to meet tonight. I couldn’t refuse.”

Yeah, right. More like you wouldn’t.

“Do you have to go?”

“Why? Are you going to set the kitchen on fire if I’m out too long?”

“You really think I’m that clumsy? Come on, put some respect on my name! I only broke four plates in three years.”

“And two mugs,” he says, holding up two fingers. “It’s an accomplishment in itself to be able to destroy that much.”

“What can I say? I have the strength of superman and the grace of a wet chinchilla.”

Aoi wheezes and catches onto the closet door for support. God, he’s so beautiful. “Don’t go out with him tonight. Stay with me.”

I hate Jason. After that infamous night, Aoi began acting differently. He turned into something colder. Like an iceberg on which the rays of the sun reflect. He built a fortress inside of him that no one could break through.

I tried but I failed.

He’s still the kindest person to me though and never makes me feel neglected despite the obvious shift in him.

Every time they call it’s the same scenario: Aoi smiles melancholically and talks to him in a gentle voice as if he’s afraid a different tone will burst their bubble of peace. Yet the moment Jason says something he disapproves of, Aoi’s tone shifts to a tumultuous blizzard.

He doesn’t let Jason near me if he can prevent it. It’s hard to figure out whether he wishes to keep me away from him or him away from me .

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I already agreed to meet up with him. I think he wants to tell me something important too. We’ll have our movie night tomorrow, alright?”

I grunt because I can’t say no to that deer face. He’s got an insane ability to make me fold under no pressure. If I were to argue more, he’d have that conflicted expression of wanting to hold his ground and hating clashing with me.

In the end, he always gives in to my caprices. This time I’ll keep quiet. If he needs to get hurt by Jason repeatedly until he finally hates him, then so be it.

The last time I saw that bastard was a few weeks after Aoi officially sealed a deal with Mrs. Keyton. Jason glared at me as though I stole his precious wife and maybe to him, that’s how the situation looked. Aoi never brought up the conflict between them, but I think it’s my fault.

Ever since, Aoi and Jason behaved like strangers to each other. Jason reached out to him a few weeks later. He seemed to feel guilty about something. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but I gathered the essence of the conversation. Jason made a grave mistake and Aoi refused to forgive him for weeks, until he came over to our place one night and profusely apologized. I couldn’t see but based on the sound of their clothes ruffling, I assumed they hugged it out.

I hid in the bathroom and held the door parted to eaves drop. Aoi rushed to his room to get something Jason apparently forgot, and I took that chance to get out of the bathroom and face that demon. His expression dripped with contempt and disgust as he stared down at me.

We didn’t exchange a single word. It wasn’t necessary.

Aoi found us in the middle of the entrance staring daggers at each other. He picked me up and gave Jason the item he’d forgotten previously then he ushered me back to our room while he finished talking to his uncle. For some reason he wanted me far from him at that moment. I know I must be mistaken, but it infuriates me to think that Aoi wants to keep the part of his life that involves Jason, away from me.

“When will you be back?”

He looks around himself. “Probably late. Don’t wait for me.”

Another vague response. Every time a question revolves around Jason, he immediately converts to vague statements. It’s obvious that something’s up with them because there’s no other rational explanation to all his constant secrecy.

I roll my eyes, but he ignores it and instead laughs, ruffling my hair.

“Don’t be a brat,” he chortles and leaves me alone in the bedroom, retiring in the living room without a trace of hesitation.

It induces a tinge of sadness in me, clenching around my heart, conveying the possibility of him choosing Jason over me if push comes to shove. They’re family unlike us. He took me in out of generosity and obligation. Aoi cares and depends on Jason, he doesn’t need me .

Honestly, I’m even a burden in his life. For my sake, he had to double the expenses, and it seems to have created a tension between his uncle and him. I feel guilty of course, but I’m selfish enough to let that happen if it means having Aoi in my life, even if it’s only as a parental figure.

My feelings weren’t always this way. I once felt utter admiration for Aoi. He’s my hero, and I’m eternally grateful for everything he gave up helping me get out of that wretched hole.

I turn around and lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling. I don’t remember when it happened but somewhere between each display of kindness and affection, my heart yielded to him. Gradually, I noticed myself reaching out for him and yearning to hold him encaged in my embrace.

Now? I’m doomed, bound to love him until I wither away.