Yui jumped out of bed and walked over to the boarded window. He heard the carriage door close and the chatter of a few men. He stuck his face up and spied through the small crack in the boards. The mayor was over once again but this time he brought two others with him, two buff men ready to beat up anyone in their path…at least from up at his level they did. He couldn't see their faces too well. Yui drummed his fingers against the wall and watched them approach his house until they were out of sight. Then he pushed himself away from the window and opened the door to his bedroom. He ran down dark steps, through the coat rack, and stuck his ear against the lower door. He heard his parents talking and the mumble of the others' voices but nothing else. He sighed in exasperation as he heard their footsteps fade as they traveled to the lower kitchen level. Every inch of him wanted to rush down the stairs and meet them too. Yui enjoyed talking to people…but he was never given the chance. He was born with a curse and his very existence was to be kept secret. He never left the house more than twice a year and was never allowed to leave the attic during the day. Every part of him itched to get out. His brothers could. Why was only he stuck inside? He trudged back up the stairs into his room in the attic and sat down at his desk where he doodled about all the adventures he would have if he ever escaped.
A tap on the door identified his twin brother. "Yui," he asked, "can I come in?"
Yui stood up and sounded that he was unlocking the door so that Fai would realize that he had been eavesdropping again. He opened the door and grinned. "Welcome to the Yui D. Flourite Room and Board. What can I offer you today?" he joked.
His brother smiled half-heartedly. "Yui, I need to tell you something," he said. He walked in and sat down on the stool by the window. Yui closed and locked the door. He sat back down at his desk and looked to his brother. His twin brother was, well, identical. The only differences were that Fai's skin was tanner and that his eyes instead of being crystal clear like Yui's, they were two shades darker and extremely cloudy. Yui watched as Fai twiddled his thumbs and summoned the courage to spread the news. Finally, he looked his brother square in the eyes and said, "Yui, you need to promise me that you won't tell anyone I told you. You won't even hint at it."
Yui stared at his brother and slowly nodded. "I won't remember a single word."
"Good," Fai said. He grimaced slightly before continuing on. "Catastrophe has struck again."
"What?" Yui gasped. "What happened this time?"
Fai fidgeted in his chair. "A disease is spreading…water and food are getting harder to come by. The mayor has reason to think that it is coming from us." His voice broke.
Yui grew more serious. "What?"
"They don't think you're dead, Yui."
"They thought I was dead for fourteen years!"
"I know, but somebody claims to have spotted you."
Yui put his head down on his desk. He was hidden all of his life and now this had to happen.
Fai tried to smile for his brother. "It'll be alright. Dad says that it'll pass."
"Do you remember Mrs. Johnson?" Yui mumbled.
Fai lost his smile. "Yes."
"Five years ago, a pair of twins entered the family. Not even a day after they were born, one of them was taken away. For weeks afterward Mrs. Johnson wouldn't even get out of bed. You could hear her screaming all the way from over here," Yui paused. "Why do they always take the younger twin? Why do they always blame the younger twin? What's wrong with being a twin?" He started shaking violently and tears escaped his eyes.
"I don't know," his brother said. Yui felt his brother's eyes on him. This wasn't the first time he had broken down from this.
"We received a couple of transfer students today at school," Fai told him to change the subject. "Most of them are here because of the war."
Yui wiped his face with his sleeve. "I'm glad they're not blaming us for that."
Their mother called them from below. "Fai!" she yelled. "Time for dinner! Don't bring any of your homework to the table! Your father wants your participation in the dinner conversation!"
That was code for 'Don't come down with Yui. We have company for dinner.'
"I'll bring you up some afterwards," Fai said. He stood up and walked over to the door. "Don't worry too much, okay Yui? I'm certain they already think otherwise."
Yui nodded. "Thanks, Fai."