The distance between his home and the school Langris went to wasn't very far. Finral lived in the same bustling city as his brother but it was far enough that he preferred to take the train instead of walking. And in this heat, walking for five minutes without shade would have Finral melting into the pavement. He had a driver's license, and would've taken Yami's van for convenience, but it was over at his job where the others were so he had no choice but to take the train.

Stepping inside, he was relieved to see how empty it was. Another reason why he preferred using a vehicle was because trains were almost always jammed packed. They were full of rowdy students or cranky adults, and Finral usually found himself squished between them barely able to move and extremely uncomfortable. Despite dreading the destination, seeing the lack of people and available seats today gave him a lucky feeling he hadn't felt in forever.

Finral sat down and twisted in his seat to stare at the window, watching the building and trees whiz by. Before coming here, he had considered stopping by a store to get a small gift but he instantly squashed the idea. He was certain Langris wouldn't take too kindly to it. What would a present even do for him? It wasn't going to stop his brother's vindictive behavior towards him. Langris would probably just throw it on the ground and step on it in front of him, crushing Finral's heart in the process.

It had been so long since he'd seen him, Finral wasn't sure what Langris liked anymore. The only thing he could recall that his brother liked were cherry tarts. When they were kids the two used to take detours after school to a nearby bakery and purchase sweets before returning home and lying to their parents about where their money had gone. It had been a weekly routine for a few months until they accidentally ran into their mother, who had also been at the bakery to buy a cake. Safe to say Liliane hadn't been pleased and she chastised them in front of the owners.

Finral unconsciously smiled at the short-lived childhood memory as he watched the buildings and trees pass by in a blur. He vividly remembered the reaction Langris had when he tried a cherry tart for the first time. Aquamarine eyes had widened in astonishment as he said, 'this is really good!' to Finral before devouring the rest and buying two more.

Did he still like them? Maybe he should've gotten the dessert before getting on the train. Langris always had a sweet tooth from what he remembered, but a lot could've changed in the span of three years and Finral felt somewhat ashamed for not understanding his brother as well as he should've.

It only took three stops until Finral reached the part of the city where the school was. Getting up, he rushed out the doors and through the station to avoid the crowd of people starting to form. There wasn't any need to hurry as it was the middle of the day, but Finral wanted some time to mentally prepare himself.

After a few minutes walking in the scorching heat and miraculously not becoming a puddle of flesh, Finral finally caught sight of the school. With a newfound burst of energy, he finished the rest of the distance with a quick jog up the hill and reached the entrance to see the campus in all its glory.

Clover University, an odd name for a school but had every young person dreaming of getting into. It was built over a century ago, its 1900 gothic architectural style making it stick out like a sore thumb within this technology-based city. Different sections of the school were lined up along the perimeter area, leaving a grassy field with a statue of its founder and a water fountain in the center. From the entrance where Finral stood rows of shell-pink marigold trees rooted along the main pathway and showered passing students with petals as a breeze came.

There was a separate building of dorms off to the side but Finral had never been in that area. Dorms were offered for students to temporarily live in instead of travelling back and forth, but unless you wanted to sell your kidney to afford it, most of them lived off campus in an apartment or with their families like Finral had done.

The private campus wasn't as large compared to other universities but it had a prestigious reputation that far exceeded everyone else. Clover University was well known for its academics and research and produced various successful people like his father and soon his brother once he graduated next semester. If Finral had paid more attention in class and tried harder then maybe he could've been successful like them.

To this day it still boggled him he used to be an actual student here. He only attended one semester before dropping out and sullying his family name. He hadn't attended for very long, but his school memories were fresh in his mind.

He remembered giving up days of sleep to cram as much study material for college entrance exams as he could, and when he got accepted he had never felt so proud of himself in his life. Liliane was indifferent about the achievement but his father… Finral would never forget the way Ledior ruffled his hair with a hand and smiled at him. It was the first and only time his father looked at him with such admiration.

But of course, everything went down the drain after he became a student and started attending classes. He didn't have as much classes compared to others his first semester, but the amount of workload thrown onto him was insane. Finral never thought of a time where his nose wasn't buried in a textbook at a library or a café. He stayed there into the late hours until he got kicked out, then had to finish at home where his father observed him like a hawk when he thought Finral wasn't looking.

He couldn't fathom how Langris handled the pressure and he never found out either. Finral ended up leaving before Langris entered college as he was a year younger, but it wasn't like Langris was going through anything different. His brother was probably doing a lot more than Finral ever did since he was close to graduating. He could only imagine the amount of knowledge his brother accumulated here and for that he was proud of him.

Finral snapped out of it when he noticed students coming in and out of the entrance, shooting him dubious looks as they passed by. His face turned beet red. How long had he been standing doing nothing? Embarrassed, he slipped his hands into his pockets and headed through the gates, walking down the main pathway while pretending he didn't feel the questionable gazes on his back.

A few steps into the campus, Finral suddenly realized he had no idea where to go next. After Vanessa kicked him out of the house he hadn't really planned much ahead. But now that he reached his destination he was stumped, and he almost facepalmed himself for being stupid.

Wait… was Langris even at school today?

Finral halted once he reached the water fountain and realized his mistake. Just because Langris was a student here didn't mean he was here specifically today. Finral didn't know his schedule. If Langris didn't have classes today then he might've been at home instead. He may have remembered the layout of the campus but he didn't want to walk around everywhere looking like a fool. This place had security guards and Finral didn't want to risk getting caught. What was he supposed to do?!

Smart thinking, idiot. This is why you dropped out of school.

Scratching his head, Finral considered returning home. Vanessa wouldn't be pleased with the outcome but there wasn't anything he could do. He would have to stick with continuously calling his brother until he picked up, or worse, visit his old home.

Just when he was running out of options and was about to give up, a smooth voice promptly spoke from behind.

"Hey, you there."

Finral jumped, goosebumps forming on the back of his neck as he listened to the footsteps coming closer. Was this a security guard? Students didn't wear uniforms at this college so he should've been able to blend in with the others.

Calm down and act natural, he told himself. Whoever this person was, Finral doubt they meant any harm as long as he acted normally. What's the worst that could happen? Pushing the assumptions away, he took a deep breath to prepare himself before turning around.

It was obvious the stranger was a student. The school issued leather crossbody bag wrapped around his shoulder was a clear indication. He had sparkling golden eyes that reminded Finral of the sun and long blonde hair tied behind him with a braided fringe across his forehead.

Finral wouldn't deny this guy looked beautiful. In fact, he looked gorgeous. This guy must've had people complementing his appearance daily, and Finral would've added to it had he not been concerned with more pressing matters at hand. His long eyelashes and defined lips gave him a feminine look that put models to shame. If Finral studied his features more, especially his face structure, he would almost say he looked a little like Mimosa.

Okay, he needed to stop staring before the stranger got the wrong idea and called him a creep. Finral should try to figure out what he wanted from him. "Hello…" he started, giving a skeptical wave in greeting.

The stranger was a few centimeters taller than him, but the way he tilted his chin up to look further down on him like he was an insect told Finral everything. This guy definitely an ego problem and held himself in high regard.

"You seem lost and confused," he said pointedly, "You must not be a student."

Finral's mouth went wide. What had he done to get detected so easily? Did he really look that out of place? The guy didn't even ask if he was a student here, he already knew just by looking and called him out on it. Finral couldn't lie to him but he still had to act like he wasn't going to do anything shady that warranted him to call security.

The best option would be to tell the truth. "Um, you're right. I'm not a student and I'm sorry for trespassing but um-" Sweat started forming on Finral's temple as the stranger's brows furrowed at the mention of trespassing. "There's someone I'm looking for that might be here," he admitted.

"Looking for someone you say? And who would that be?"

Finral mentally gave himself a pat on the back, relieved the stranger was complying but he wasn't off the hook yet. "His name is Langris, do you know him? I was just wondering if he was here cause I wanted to speak with him."

The stranger blinked in surprise at the name. "Langris? I know him, he's in one of my classes." His eyes then narrowed, making Finral glued to his spot. "But why would someone beautiful such as me give out information about other people to someone like you?

Wow, okay. Finral took back what he said about him being gorgeous. This guy was a total weirdo. And rude for that matter, but Finral couldn't let this chance slip away. He already came this far he couldn't turn back now. Vanessa probably wouldn't let him back into the house if he returned so soon.

"He's…" Finral hesitated, the next few words feeling foreign on his tongue. He didn't believe he had a right to say it after everything, but maybe this could help get the man to understand his side of the story and not call security.

He saw the other take a step back to leave and Finral sprang into action. "He's my brother! I know I'm not supposed to be here but I'd really like to see him if I can."

The student paused, his lips pursed in a thin line as he regarded Finral's words. "Your brother?" he repeated.

Finral nodded. "My younger brother. I tried calling him multiple times but he never answered, which is why I'm here. I'm just worried about him so if you could please help me out I'd greatly appreciate it."

There were a few seconds of silence as they both stared at each other with Finral refusing to back down. He honestly expected more resistance, but was amazed when the stranger relented and sighed.

"Now that I see your face more clearly you do look similar to him. Alright, I'll help you out," he agreed as he placed a hand on his hip. "Luckily for you, your brother did have classes today. He's in his last one but he's almost done."

Finral almost cried in relief. "Thank you so much!" he shouted, then cringed. "I mean thank you for your help um…"

The man seemed like he had been waiting ages for the opportunity to introduce himself. He twirled around, smacking Finral with his strong perfume scent, and spread his arms out in the air. Finral suspected he was majoring in drama or something of the sort. "You are in the presence of Kirsch Vermillion!" he announced proudly.

Vermillion? The last name sounded strangely familiar. "Thank you, Kirsch!" Finral was tempted to shake his hand but it might've been too informal for someone he just met so he tried to convey his gratitude with a smile.

Kirsch returned it with a smile of his own, as if he hadn't just interrogated Finral without mercy. He pointed to the left where a wooden bench was off to the side. "You can wait over there and I'll let him know he has a visitor. However, it may take a while before he comes."

Finral shook his head. He couldn't afford himself to be impatient now. "No, it's fine! I don't mind waiting at all." It was the least he could do after Kirsch deemed him worthy enough to help.

They both bid each other farewell with a wave before Kirsch walked away to the main building. Finral went towards the bench situated under a magnolia tree, swiping a few stray petals off the wooden seat before sitting down and waited patiently.

Meeting Langris was officially guaranteed thanks to Kirsch, but now came the hardest part for Finral. Actually meeting Langris.

Hundreds of questions raced through his mind as he waited under the tree. How was he faring? Had he been eating well, or had he been so focused on school that he lost weight? Did he look the same? Had he grown any taller since he last saw him?

Noticing his leg was bouncing, a nervous habit Finral couldn't stop no matter how much he tried, he put a hand on his knee and forced it to stop. He shouldn't be this antsy, it was just his brother for goodness sake not the devil.

To pass the time, Finral fished out his phone from his pocket and surfed through it. He flicked through various profiles on his dating app, then switched to the internet and watched random videos without sound to keep his mind occupied. Woefully, nothing worked to ease his nerves.

Vanessa was right, he really was overthinking this.

He was about to attempt catching the petals drifting to the ground by the breeze when he suddenly heard it.

"Nii-san?"

Finral sat rigid in his spot and sucked in a breath. C'mon, you can do this. It's Langris, your little brother you haven't seen in years because of your own cowardice. Steeling his resolve, he peeled his eyes away from the falling petals and looked up to see his brother standing a few feet away.

Langris looked… no different for the most part. The only noticeable difference and slightly out of character were the way his eyes widened and mouth hanged open in shock at the sight of Finral, but other than that he was still the same. He was still Langris. His little brother.

"Langris!" Finral called as he got up. Upon walking closer, he frowned as he scanned Langris's physique. Now that he got a good look at him his brother might've grown an extra centimeter but he still looked small for his age. His earlier question if Langris neglected eating often in favor of studying more unfortunately turned out to be true.

The younger stood there speechless, hand gripping the bag strap around his shoulder and openly gawking like he couldn't believe his eyes. Finral gulped and shifted on his feet nervously. "Hey Langris…" he waved, breaking the silence.

That snapped Langris out of his stupor. Aquamarine eyes softened for a split second, so sudden that Finral was about to ask himself if he had imagined it before they hardened. "You," he spat vehemently, "What are you doing here?"

Finral flinched at the icy glare thrown at him but he was prepared for this reaction. "I-I know I'm not supposed to be here but-"

"That's not what I meant," Langris interrupted, lips curled in a snarl. "I'm saying what are you doing here, as in why are you here in front of me?"

Ouch, well Finral couldn't say he didn't see this coming, Langris wasn't wrong to be mad at him. It wasn't like it could get any worse but he couldn't give up yet. "I just… came to see how you were doing."

Langris blinked, caught off guard and genuinely nonplussed before he clenched his fists and hissed. "Are- Are you serious? You wanted to see how I was doing after what, three years?"

Just be honest and it'll be fine, Finral kept telling himself. "I am serious. I know I've been a terrible brother to you but ever since you told me about father passing away I've been worried about you."

And he had every right to be worried. Not only was Langris not eating enough but he also looked haggard. His face was scrunched with anger but it didn't dispel the large dark circles under his eyes.

"No."

The short answer took Finral aback. "No?" he asked.

"No!" Langris yelled, his rising voice catching the attention of a few stray students around them. "You have no right to be worried about me! Three years after you abandoned your family you suddenly decide to waltz back into my life? Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you show your face around me!"

"Langris I- I may have left home but I didn't abandon you." He left home because of how he was treated by their parents and the pressure of society, not because of Langris. Never because of Langris. There wasn't a day that went by when he didn't think of his brother and Finral desperately wanted to tell him that but Langris wouldn't believe him.

Taking a step forward in Finral's personal space, Langris jabbed a finger into his chest hard enough to hurt. "So now you're lying to me. Looks like you haven't learned anything else aside from lying and running away. Don't bother trying to act like my brother and showing me your fake concern."

"Get out of my sight, I don't ever want to see you again." Langris brushed passed him, striding towards the school entrance and leaving Finral behind in the dust.

Stunned, Finral stood there in the middle of the pathway as the phrase "get out of my sight" haunted his brain. He was right about his earlier assumptions. Clearly Langris wanted nothing to do with him and if he tried to follow then Langris might punch him.

Finral saw this coming but this shouldn't affect him so much. Langris was an adult who could make his own decisions. If he didn't want to see Finral anymore then who was he to deny him? But… if Finral let him walk away now and let Langris slip from his grasps, then he may never see him again.

And he didn't wantthat to happen.

Taking a deep breath and releasing it, Finral turned around and ran up to catch him. He knew Langris was aware he was following him but he didn't stop walking. It wasn't until they reached the entrance Langris finally halted and whipped around.

"Stop following me," he growled.

Finral held up his hands in mock surrender. "Just hear me out," he pleaded. Langris looked like he wanted to do anything else than listen, but at least he didn't walk away again. "I've been trying to reach you with that number you called me with that night but you never picked up. I wasn't sure if something happened or if you were just ignoring me so I came to see you in person." And I wanted to see you, he didn't say.

"And as I've already stated before, I don't want to see you-" Langris suddenly stopped, pausing in an uncanny way as he peered at the older. "Wait- you've been calling me?"

"I mean… yeah?" Finral was unsure how to handle this abrupt change. His brother's demeanor drastically shifted from hostility to bewilderment, and the most confusing part was that Finral didn't know why.

Slight movement caught Finral's attention and when he looked down, he noticed Langris's fingers twitching against his thigh. That was strange. Years of growing up together Finral was able to pick up on his brother's habits. These small signs from him helped Finral understand what Langris felt at the time if he refused to be honest and open up.

Eyes glancing to the right as he spoke meant he was telling a lie, and crossing his arms meant he was being defensive. Whenever he was curious or excited, he would go up and down on his tiptoes and Finral always found it adorable as kids. There were other habits Langris also did but he learned to control himself better as he got older. Seeing him again now it was difficult for Finral to tell what he was feeling behind those cold calculated eyes.

But his fingers twitching, specifically the fingers from his left hand, meant that Langris was nervous.

"Don't…" Langris hesitated, "Don't call that number anymore."

Finral tilted his head in vague confusion. "Why? Is that not your phone number?" he asked.

"No, it's the maid's phone. I borrowed hers because mine broke." His eyes flickered to the right.

"Oh…" Finral didn't know what was happening or how to approach this. "Then would it be okay if I used her number to get a hold of you in the future?"

"Do you have to ask a question every damn second?" Hostility returned to Langris full force and Finral winced at his mistake. "If I said don't call that number then don't call it. If she isn't answering you then it's because she's busy. You've lived on your own for three years yet you still can't listen. Even in death father must still be disappointed in you," he sneered.

Finral's heart sank as his eyes trailed down. Langris struck a chord in him with what he said. Wherever Ledior was in the afterlife, he must surely be shaking his head at him for what he became. Finral doubt he could ever escape from his disappointment for as long as he lived. Even after he died one day, it probably wouldn't change father's feelings towards him.

The lack of response stretched on to where it was Langris who spoke again. When Finral looked back up his brother appeared conflicted for a moment as he adjusted the strap on his bag.

"We both know you wouldn't have come here if father hadn't died," Langris spoke in a grave tone. His eyes glistened but there was nothing bright about them. "You've survived three years on your own without us, Nii-san. If you can do that, then I'm sure you can survive the rest of your life the same way."

Langris stood there silently, gazing into Finral's and squeezing the leather strap in his hand. He looked like he wanted to say more, but he just closed his eyes and turned on his heel.

Finral didn't follow him again this time. Instead, he just watched his brother stroll further down the sidewalk before vanishing into the crowd. With him out of sight, Finral went the opposite direction and headed towards the train station. He wasn't going home but he had another idea in mind. If he reset his emotions properly then Yami shouldn't have a problem with him working.

"We both know you wouldn't have come here if father hadn't died."

It was harsh and cutthroat, slicing in areas that attacked Finral's insecurities in the worst ways. He always disliked it when Langris didn't hold back his comments. Even when they were kids, he could really be cold blooded without realizing it. Growing up it may have been a part of his personality but it was still uncalled for and sometimes hurtful.

Finral didn't exactly hate it, hate was such a strong word after all, but he didn't like it when their relationship headed in that direction. Which was why he accepted whatever was thrown at him with a smile and moved on from it, his brother usually ended up forgetting about it anyways. But what Langris just said to him before leaving…

"We both know you wouldn't have come here if father hadn't died."

Gritting his teeth, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked faster.

Finral hated how he was right.