Chapter 28j: Inferiority
This just makes me angry.
Very unreasonably angry.
Just look at her. Carrying that plastic bag. Wearing her prettiest dress. Her nails coloured to complement. Her hair cutely wrapped up in a ribbon.
Looking all hopeful. Staring around towards every little movement with the sort of skittish happiness that reminds me of a girl about to see the boy she loves.
Well, she does love him, but not in that way.
Wasn't this brother of hers punctual? Concerned? Caring? Perfect in every conceivable way?
If he takes any longer, she might cry.
That person mom asked said that he likely left already; they had seen him go straight to his room to get his coat for a walk.
Seriously? You know your sister is coming, and you go for a WALK?
The door slams open.
OK, it does not quite slam thanks to the stopper, but the boy that appears in the doorway seems terribly flustered. It's got to be her brother; I doubt there's another kid that looks quite that Asian in this group.
And she noticed. She nearly jumps off her chair and rushes towards him. You could film this and make tons of money; all of it is as if it came straight from a movie. Fuck. I should have filmed it. She'd treasure the tape for the rest of her life.
Then again, we don't own a camera, so I guess I have a good excuse for not having filmed this reunion.
"Oh. You wear earrings nowadays? They suit you."
His voice is pretty casual as he inquires about it, and she nods as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I wonder if he'll be fooled by that brave attitude of hers...
Look at that. She's outright glomping him now. Arms wrapped around his waist as he awkwardly ruffles her hair. He probably used to do that a lot. And then he is smiling like..
Wow. He's three years younger than me, but that smile.. I can't even describe it. He's going to be a player and break hearts, though. That's without a doubt. That is what always happens when boys have looks like that: they get full of themselves and go around collecting girls hearts as if they were Pokemon.
Case in point: I don't know him save for the Setty-colored stories, but even I feel fuzzy to the point of wanting to hug him. This kid is dangerous!
Ah. He's looking my way.
He and Setty exchange a few words, and they approach me.
"This is my sister Jenny Becker. I told you about her."
She's being utterly adorable right now, seeming so happy and doing introductions like an adult. Cain really means the world to her, doesn't he? I knew that.. but still, seeing it is different.
He extends his hand, and I hold it as we gauge eachother. He doesn't have very manly hands; like Setsu, his fingers are long and flexible, except a bit firmer. There are calluses on his hands though; he's clearly not a nerd that only sits inside.
"How do you do? I am glad to finally meet you, Cain."
He smiles, looking towards Setty for a moment with a tender expression before glancing back to me, his dark eyes shining as if he knows something about me.
"Thank you for looking after her. I appreciate it."
Still, the introductions go as they ought, and then he moved on to meet mom and dad. Well, that is awkward. In fact, Setty tried to make him not greet them, but he clearly has some manners, treating them nice and going into some sort of pleasantries.
Setty has been upset with our parents ever since we found out they tried to keep Cain away from her. I think they would have liked if she just kept throwing tantrums, but she's just been shutting them out, sticking to pleasantries.
They think that is all of it. But I know better.
That girl is far too stubborn. Her happy smile right now betrays exactly how much she cares about Cain, and how little she cares about them.
Weren't it for seeing Cain, would she remain as pleasant with them as she has been as of late? I wonder. Maybe dad would be able to really get through to her, but mom has been thoroughly shut out of her heart.
If Cain is anything like his sister... I shiver.
The thought of getting on the bad side of Setty already makes me blood run cold. But getting on his bad side? I think she'd never look at me again.
Setty runs off to the bag she had left in her chair, dragging the arm of her brother along despite him still talking to mom.
Seeing that makes me feel some kinship with the boy; when she is that excited to show me something I can't find it in me to stop her, either.
As she picks it up, she pushes it into Cain's hands.
"Your birthday present. From last year."
He seems a bit embarrassed, his fingers pinching her cheek.
"Are you trying to make me feel bad about not having given you anything yet?"
He teases with a laugh, and she laughs with that childish smile that she gives me whenever she wants another jawbreaker from me. Oh Cain, you are in for it now.
Whatever the contents of the bag are, I'm not sure, but I do see Cain's surprised expression as he turns the bag over on the table.
Out comes a whole fucking zoo. The most colourful zoo in existence. Some of the animals even spill off the table, and I jump in to assist them in putting them on the table and setting them all up on their feet. I think I make a few casual jokes about all the hard work she put into it, but my heart isn't into it very much.
What the hell is with this treatment?!
I get some frogs for my birthday, and he gets a whole $% #$ zoo?!
The fact he is picking them up one by one, looking at the little faces - she drew eyes on them, too?! - and appreciating their silly expressions just pisses me off.
The fact he is even thanking her earnestly for this silly gift without a modicum of sarcasm, judgement or unhappiness is not lost on me, either.
Fuck! How am I supposed to compete with a brother like that?!