Natalia Bradinski was an abnormal being. She was pretty, she was smart, she had good reflexes, but she was not normal. Her half-brother, Ivan Bradinski wasn't sane either. The only normal person who seemed to care about others in her family was Yekaterina, her half-sister. Fine, they shared the same mother. They had all decided to follow their mother's surname, which was also unusual.
Who cared about their family being weird? The Asians who lived in Han Estate weren't even related. Wang Yao-big brother's crush had taken the Lees in, along with Honda. Wang Mei was Wang Yao's paternal cousin, and Wang Leon as well. If you counted the number of people in that clan, it was bigger, and it was way more unusual. At least, Ha Yeon Lee, or Yeon Lee doesn't have a thing for her brother.
Nat carefully placed her knife in her belt. It was a school day, and she had to go to school. Fast. She had to claim a seat before she ended up with someone as a partner.
"Brother! I'm going!"
Natalia shouted as she left. There was a long pause, and then, "Bye, Nat."
Ivan didn't even bother to show up. Natalia sighed. It was always like this. Footsteps, and Yekaterina came huffing out.
"Goodbye, Ivan!"
A moment, and Ivan came out, smiling.
"Good-bye, Yekaterina."
His smile froze as he noticed Natalia.
"Good bye, Nat-"
She left, without a word. Her brother was so discriminating toward her.
"You shouldn't be rude to brother like that."
Yekaterina chided.
"Who cares?"
"You will end up caring. Brother doesn't care about your heart."
Her sister's face was soft, but her words were not.
"Whatever. He will soon learn that I am impor-"
Her words were cut off as she noticed a number of people standing in front of a house. Estate Han.
"Goodbye, nisan!"
It was Kiku Honda, an upperclassman. He was waving to Wang Yao. Her brother's beloved. The man who sometimes gave her dinner when Lee Ha Eung had dragged her off to have dinner with him. The stern businessman smiled at his brother.
"Goodbye, Kiku. Have a nice day."
Feliciano Vargas, Ludwig Beilschmidt, who were his friends, were waiting for him, and the Japanese boy left the house eagerly.
"Sestra?"
Yekaterina seemed worried.
"No, nothing. Go ahead."
"But..."
Natalia was curious about something, and she planned to wait. The door of the estate opened as Yekaterina left, and a girl wearing heels ran out.
"Bye, oppa! Love you! Wo ai ni!"
Ha Yeon gave Wang Yao a hug, kissed his cheek, smiled and walked toward a flashy car. Alfred Jones sat there, eagerly waving at the girl.
"Bye, little one. Have a good day-"
Yao's words weren't even done when the car revved away. Behind the man, two others were emerging.
"I'll be late."
The underclassman and pyromaniac hurtled towards his bike on the rack. The boy, who had been in an accident was now out of the hospital, and was very healthy.
"Leon, don't forget to eat dinner."
"Yes, don't worry. Emil's going to eat with me."
Wang Yao smiled at his youngest brother as the boy rode his bike and took off.
"Yao ge-ge, bye."
Wang Mei waved slightly and walked towards a waiting Elizaveta Heatherberry.
"Bye, mei-mei. Don't forget your lunch."
It was disappointing, as she had not gotten to see what she had been waiting for. Natalia was just about to leave when the door opened a last time.
"Are you sure you want to go, di-di?"
Yao sounded concerned, as a boy stumbled out of the house. Ha Eung Lee. The boy she wanted to see. Lee had been avoiding her ever since Christmas, he had good reason to. They had been drunk, and she had been too honest with Lee. He had distanced himself so much that he had forgotten all about returning her book.
"Yes, don't fret over me. It's a waste of your time, and you know I'm never going to be as sweet as Mei, or as considerate as Kiku, or as bubbly as Yeon, or-"
Yao cut the boy off.
"Ha Eung, that is no way to talk. You're ill. I should have made sure you didn't eat too much after Leon got out of hospital, but no, instead I let you frolic around. Some good brother I am."
"Yeon was the one who partied, I just ate ice cream."
The boy snapped. Gods, he sounded a lot like her. Natalia held her breath. Was Yao going to act like Ivan, be all sighing and give up?
Wang Yao was not Ivan Bradinski. He had said so many times in all his glorious interviews, and Natalia could see why. Yao gave a ringing thwack on the back to his grumbling brother.
"Ignorant fool. You shouldn't be going to school. Why don't you watch Hannibal? I'll bring my work home and take care of you."
How generous. Ha Eung gave a disgusted look to his brother.
"What, and complain that I was the reason your work got slowed down? No thanks."
The boy started to trudge off.
"WAIT, YOU FOOL! At least let me drive you to school!"
Yao dragged his brother back, like some comedy show. This time, Ha Eung complied, and they were off in a Sedan. Natalia sighed. Lucky boy, having a brother who cared about him, no matter how cold or mean he was. Lucky boy.
When she got to school, it was late. Just as she had feared.
"You're late."
Alfred, Class President, Junior representative and Chairman, and a bunch of other things wrote her name on the chalkboard.
"Yes, who cares?"
Natalia surveyed the seats with a weary eye.
"Well, sit somewhere."
She found an empty seat next to Yekaterina. The classroom was rather noisy, and Natalia studied the people in their various seats. Alfred was sitting with Matthew-strange, considering the fact that he usually sat with Lee Ha Yeon. Perhaps he had gotten sick of her? Perhaps not. Natalia could see two black-haired heads together. Ha Eung was sprawled on his chair, looking wasted. His sister had a hand on his forehead.
"You really have to sit next to him?"
Jones' voice was too loud.
"He's sick."
"How sick?"
"He threw up."
"Well, if you say you need to take care of him, then who am I to stop you?"
There was movement as Natalia lowered her head. A book landed on her desk, rather softly.
"Here, your book."
"You're late returning it. You were supposed to give it back three days ago."
Ha Eung was rather pale as she studied the taller boy, now to think of it.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't return it in time, I'll make it up to you somehow."
This didn't sound like the cool ass she had danced with in Halloween or the boy she had eaten dinner with. He just sounded like a normal person, a tired person.
"And how are you going to make it up to me?"
"Look, he said he's sorry. Give him a break."
For once, Gilbert Beilschmidt was on Ha Eung's side, but the Korean shook his head, staring at her intently.
"I'll do anything you w..want.."
There was a split second before the boy lurched. Instantly, Ha Eung covered his mouth, and made for the door. The door slammed with a bam, but it was too late, as shouts broke out in the corridor.
"Ew, he threw up!"
Wang Mei and Lee Ha Yeon ran, but for some reason, Natalia found herself out of the classroom as fastest. Ha Eung looked horrible, wiping his mouth on his shirt's sleeve, eyes red. He was sitting on the floor, a puddle of something unidentifiable next to him. Seniors and juniors were gathered around him, all whispering and staring. Nobody helping. A part of Natalia's heart seemed to harden as she saw this. The only person who tried to get to her, or understood was now on the floor, a miserable mess-and these people, who were either too scared of him or didn't know him well enough, treating him like a germ factory-and she was there, tugging at his sleeve.
"Get. Up."
"Bradinski, what-"
"Get up, you idiot!"
Lee stood, stumbling, tired out. She could practically see his lashes due to their proximity and the small drops of saltwater cleaning to them. For good measure, she wouldn't comment on his breath-the guy had puked all of his breakfast, his intestines and practically everything in him.
"Oh my god, Ha Eung-ah!"
Ha Yeon was now here, distress apparent on her face.
"Mei, call oppa. He's in no condition to study, let alone do anything. Ya, you are going to the nurse's office with me-no commentary."
"What are you bakas staring at?"
Kiku Honda had heard of his brother's plight, and had decided to play the good brother for once. Stepping out, the senior gave the other students a glare that could have frozen Hawaii. The students scattered, except for the Han Estate family, and herself.
"Come on, let's go to the infirmary."
Natalia slowly backed away, but then noticed her arm was in a vicelike grip.
"가지 마(Don't leave.)"
"I don't speak Korean."
It was a pathetic excuse, and she pulled her arm out, with nearly all the strength she could muster.
"Thank you, Natalia!"
Natalia ignored Ha Yeon as she returned to the classroom. Ha Eung's gaze seemed to pierce into her back as she left.
"I'm back."
She announced to an empty house. Ivan wasn't here, he was busy. Yekaterina was at a party or something, leaving Natalia to herself. School had been boring after Lee had left. His brother had sent some hot guy from Macau to pick him up, and so Lee was off. Natalia climbed the stairs to her room, changing into a white blouse and a black skirt. She carefully put a flower pin-courtesy of Ivan-in her tresses, then stared at the mirror. Passable.
"Anyone home?"
The front door had opened, and Natalia ran downstairs. She had been expecting Ivan, or Ravis. Not Toris with all his sweetness. Lee had owed her a lot, and this was part of it. Ever since Toris had brought a slightly crying Natalia home-saltwater in her eyes weren't the same as crying-he had been thinking that he had a chance with her. As if. She'd found flowers in her locker, smiley faced notes and so on.
"Hi! Your brother summoned me for something-"
Toris also happened to be the son of Ivan's deceased butler, and was also a good cook. He also had a room in this house as well. This gloomy Bradinski house.
"Go home."
The senior blinked, then laughed.
"This is my home, Nattie."
Nattie. What does he think I am, his girlfriend?
Natalia ignored him, heading for the kitchens. She needed some borscht. It turned out the fridge was empty. Great. Another dinner at the Han Estate. She grabbed her black coat, now making for the door.
"You know, Lee's not good enough for you."
She whipped around, and gave Toris a deep look of malice.
"It's none of your business."
"He's a psychopath, he doesn't care what happens to you or other people. He watches all sorts of weird things, he's cold-"
"I'm a brother-molester. I carry knives."
Why she was defending Lee, she'd never know. Natalia threw open the front door, slammed it as she left, and headed for the Han Estate.
"Oh."
Lee Ha Yeon's usually bright, happy face, turned a shade whiter as she opened the door for Natalia. The cheerleader captain stared at her quizzically.
"What is it?"
"I'm here for dinner."
The Korean girl nodded, understanding lighting her face for an instant.
"Yao isn't here, and Ha Eung is sick."
"How sick is he?"
Her question had been too fast, her gaze perhaps a bit too concerned.
"He'll recover. Stomach bug, the doctor says."
Ha Yeon seemed eager to close the door again, but Natalia had another answer prepared.
"I would like to visit your brother."
Manners and etiquette had been drilled into Lee Ha Yeon ever since she was little, and perhaps that was why the unwilling girl brought her into the bright, happy Han Estate.
"His room is on the second floor, next to Kiku's room."
The house was comprised of three floors, the first floor belonging to Wang Mei and Wang Leon, the third belonging to Lee Ha Yeon and Wang Yao. The second floor corridor was painted blue, sky blue with constellation decorations everywhere. It was an overly boyish corridor.
The first room she found was littered with figurines and animation posters. Honda's room. The second room's door was closed, and there was a DO NOT OPEN;LIFE COULD BE THREATENED sign on the door. Ignoring the childish sign, Natalia entered.
The room was painted in black, but there were still the constellation decorations, intricate, sophisticated, on all four walls. There was a poster hanging on the wall-ASIA CORP OPENS WIDE-an Asia Corp poster with a man and a woman on it. There was also a star chart, a telescope and a bookshelf full with books. A few swords and knives hung on the other wall-Korean styled. A desk, neatly arranged with homework, with a nightstand was near the window, with its black curtains. The bed next to the desk was occupied, and Natalia could see a black-haired head resting against a blue pillow, the body covered with white blankets.
She pulled out a wooden chair and sat down next to the bed, staring intently at Lee Ha Eung. He looked like a child, fast asleep. A lock of his hair covered his closed eyes, and Natalia had to stop herself from trying to take the stray curl out of the way. To look at him like this, no one would dare call him a psychopath.
"Toris said you were a psychopath."
She whispered softly, so as not to wake him.
"I told him to shut up."
He was in Dream Country, there was a smile curling around his face-it enhanced his features, and the resemblance to his sister was striking. It somehow reminded herself of how she never smiled. You look prettier when you smile. She ignored his words, they could go to hell.
"When in the world are you going to get up?"
Although her words were sharp, she could spend hours just staring at him. He gave her the urge to protect for now. Normally, around him, she felt protected. Secure. Normal. He wasn't supposed to be lying in a bed, when she was right next to him.
"Lee."
He didn't wake. The door creaked open, and Honda stood there, uneasily. She had heard all about Honda's tyranny, and how Honda was one of the reasons why Lee had cracked. According to Jones, Honda had broken Lee's ribcage. He had plenty of reason to believe Natalia hated him as well. After all, she was visiting his sick brother.
"Your brother just called, Bradinski-san."
As she raised an eyebrow, Honda managed a smile.
"You left your phone behind at home."
Natalia left the room, unease filling her stomach.
"Where were you, Natalia?"
For a change, her brother sounded angry. Worried.
"I'm at the Han Estate. I've been visiting."
"Who?"
"It's none of your business who I visit. You never care."
She could hear something break from the other end.
"You're not visiting Lee Ha Eung, are you?"
"What's so wrong about visiting him?"
Ivan sighed, clearly distressed. But Natalia-she somehow felt detached from how Ivan felt.
"He's impossible, haven't you heard what people say about him? He is... odd! He is queer, that one!"
"He's a human being, and he has a heart."
He was also one of the people who understood how she felt, who actually cared or worried about her.
"Why can't you meet people like... Toris? Or Jones? Why can't you meet normal people, people who deserve you?"
"I'm a brother addict. I'm a knife collector. My brother-you are a member of the Mafia. I'm not that normal myself."
Natalia could feel herself flaring, defending Ha Eung. Her voice was rising, and she could feel her neck prick. Turning, she saw a very angry Ha Yeon, and a very unhappy Mei staring at her.
"I'll call you when I actually have time."
She left the phone, hanging up.
"The nerve of that man, calling my brother names, when he's lost all of his marbles!"
Ha Yeon's eyes were burning into the phone.
"Yeon-ah..."
Mei tapped at her sister, who turned.
"Ah, yes. I believe you originally came for dinner? Well, you needn't wait longer. Oppa will be here soon enough. You can wait in Ha Eung's room until then."
Natalia nodded curtly, heading up the stairs once more.
"So, the girlfriend finally came."
Leon Wang's voice was loud, down the stairs.
"Shut up."
Lee snapped, and Natalia smirked at the tone of voice that she used at her sibling.
"Your hyung is sick. Show him the respect he's due."
"I will, when he deserves it."
Ha Yeon obviously gave her brother a kick, as Leon yelled out loud.
The doorbell suddenly rang, causing a small pause.
"YES, coming!"
Lee sounded giddy for some reason. Her giddiness faded as she opened the door.
"And what, are you doing here?"
"I came here to pick up my sister."
Ivan.
"She's come to have dinner with us."
Lee's voice was shaking slightly. She was scared of older brother, of course.
"Vell, she von't. Not anymore. I disapprove of my sestra's relationship vith your brother, that annoying pest. It is a shame that I cannot see Yao-yao before I leave, but I am quite a busy man."
"But... But she came all the way here..."
Lee was brave, or stupid to stand up to her brother.
"She is coming home. Vith me."
Natalia sighed, she'd have to go downstairs.
"Otouto, Imouto. What in kami is going on? Who is our guest?"
Honda had left the living room, and she could see his silhouette.
"Mr. Bradinski."
The older boy's voice was cool and serene.
"We believe it would be a waste of time just to send our guests away, when our brother is to come home so soon-he was going to cook his special Beijing duck-"
"Really?"
Good for Honda to have a brain.
"Yes, I swear it on my honor. And since you are one of his most valued guests, he'd be delighted if you stayed for dinner-"
"Then I vill!"
Ivan sounded sweet as he spoke.
"Um, you can wait in the living room."
Ha Yeon scuttled in, and up the stairs. Natalia heard her hissing to Honda-"What are we going to do? Beijing duck? What will Yao say-"
"He'll understand, we have to call him before he gets here-"
As the siblings bickered, her own brother's voice cut clearly through their murmurs.
"I'd also like Natty to come down and have a talk with me. She can't be standing in the shadows all day, can she?"
The living room was decked in royal red, as Wang Yao had called it. It was an overly sophisticated, lovely place, alive and bright. The only thing that looked odd, standing out was the Bradinski siblings.
"So, sister, please explain to me how you managed to stay here for a whole hour without Lee even waking up."
Her brother smiled, but his words were cool.
"I just waited for him to wake up."
"And why?"
Why, why. Natalia thought about all the other people she'd met before Lee. Ivan wanted her to be a sweet sister, prefering an empty-headed girl to what she was.
"I just want you to be a normal girl, sestra."
That wasn't her.
So she had sought after a popular, cool jock. Who wore glasses, spouted nonsense that sounded fun, and ate hamburgers for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It seemed to work for a few weeks. But it fell out.
"Look, Nattie, I... I don't know what to say, but I don't think you're the right person for me."
"And why?"
She'd glared at him, biting her tongue in betrayal.
"You don't make my heart beat fast, you... you don't need saving."
A few days later, she'd seen him with a battered girl, who was wearing concealer to hide her wounds. He had smiled at the girl-Honda's sister-Lee-with unmistakable kindness, genuineness.
So she hid all her bitterness, and had acted cool. But she had simmered all the time, lashing out at poor Lee for being friends with Jones, for needing his help, for being the one who had needed saving.
Now...
If Jones was water, cooling, refreshing, Lee was fire. Burning, destroying, yet passionate. The fire in him didn't forgive, but it recreated. It burned down old bridges, but it gave the space for new ones.
He let her be her, no, he didn't want her to be her because then, she'd stay with him. And he undermined himself so.
"Because he is the only one, who lets me be me."
Her brother's smile drooped.
"I see. This isn't about getting my attention, is it, little Nattie?"
It was so much more than that.
It was about accepting what her heart wanted to do, and putting down her damned honor, which was shit.
The doorbell rang, and Natalia stood.
"I'll get it, Lee."
Walking to the door, she yanked it open-and found herself face to face with-
"Yeon! So, I decided that I'd face the music like a man and tell Yao about everything and-"
Alfred.
The jock's face turned pale.
"H...Hey, Nattie."
"You can skip the petty words. Why are you here?"
"I'm here to see Yao? And have dinner with the family-"
You never did that for me.
Bitterness consumed her for a second, but a voice stopped her feelings from rising.
"So, burger jerk, you're the fucking first face I have to see?"
Lee Ha Eung was there, his face sweaty and pallid, his knees slightly shaking, with a tiny grimace on his face.
"Look, I'm going to be your, um, sister's husband! I'd like some bloody respect-"
"Well, well, more children?"
Ivan's voice boomed, and Alfred's eyes narrowed.
"Why is the commie here?"
Before things got out of hand, however, a very harrassed looking Ha Yeon appeared, tugging at Alfred.
"Fred, come here-he's having supper with us thanks to Kiku and his big mouth. I need you in the kitchen with Kiku-he's cooking some noodles, and I need to whip up some dumplings-and I need some energy-and I-"
"Yes, yes, don't worry, mon amour, I won't leave you with the commie. I'm staying for dinner as well."
"You and your stupid mon amours!"
But the girl didn't seem to mind as she left to the kitchens with him. Now-
"Bradinski. What are you doing here?"
Lee sounded mildly amused, and ninety percent shocked.
"I came to pay my respects to the dead."
Natalia didn't like him when he acted like a normal human being.
"Am I dead now?"
"Nyet, but you will soon be dead if you don't come here."
Lee gave her a long stare.
"What is your brother doing here?"
"He-never mind."
The story about him was too embarrassing, too... Too... It made her ears turn red, along with her face.
"Are you sick? Do you have the fever? Your face is red, and it's the color when Jones sees Ha Yeon-"
"Children?"
Ivan's voice was fluting, and Lee's, no, Ha Eung's face turned grim.
"We had better get in there. I don't want to end up dead."
"You won't."
Her answer was short, but enough to make him turn.
"And how can you assure that-"
"I won't let him."
"Any Bs or Cs in your grade?"
Ha Eung raised an eyebrow at ivan's question.
Is this a job interview?
"I only have one alphabet-A."
"Height."
"Tall enough."
"Your future dream?"
"World domination."
Surprisingly. Ivan chuckled at this.
"A good dream, a good one indeed."
"Any girls?"
The quiestion sent him coughing, and spluttering.
"I... I am a modest person!"
"Good. You are at least half worth our sestra. I would have killed you otherwise."
They were sitting on the sofa, Ivan in the middle, Ha Eung on his left and Natalia on his right. He couldn't get what Ivan was talking about at all, but the fact that Natalia's ears were turning red wasn't good.
"Tian, what is this talk about Ivan Bradinski having dinner with us-and Beijing duck? So suddenly-aiyah, you children are really troublesome-"
The door had opened, and Yao was standing there, looking furious in his business suit, holding several grocery bags.
"Yao-yao!"
Ivan grinned brightly, to Yao's immense shock.
"What- Kiku, tell me this is a dream-"
"It isn't, old man."
Leon yawned, and tapped his brother on the shoulder.
"Jones came over, he's having dinner as well."
"Tell him that's outrageous-"
"He's not having dinner with us in this situation-"
"Jones, brother is here!"
Leon shouted, and the laughter resonating from the kitchen stopped. Almost instantly, Kiku, Ha Yeon, Mei and Alfred was there-did they teleport or something? Kiku had flour on his hands, and Ha Yeon was wearing an apron, looking harrassed, whereas Mei looked content-she was at least confident with her cooking.
"We tried our best, making side dishes."
"You cooked?"
Yao's jaw dropped, but Jones cut through Yao's surprise. Now to see, the jerk was wearing a tux, and he could smell slight perfume.
"Mr. Wang!"
"Y...Yes?"
Whatever Yao was expecting, it had not been this. The jock practically dropped to his knees in front of his brother, and blurted out loud.
"I'm going out with your sister! Please give us your blessing!"
"This is a joke."
Yao rubbed his hands, hoping Kiku would cut through and Ha Yeon would blurt about this being a joke.
"I told you this was bad timing!"
"Hai, Alfred-kun, you should have waited..."
"Wonderful."
And his brother dropped on the floor.
"Hyung!"
"Gege!"
"Yao-yao!"
"You killed him!"
"Dinner is served."
Natalia stared at the table setting. It had been very purposeful. Honda sat next to Lee, who was scowling-on her left, there was Mei, keeping her far away from Jones. Ivan was sitting next to her, which was good. Wang Yao sat at the head of the table, and-"Um... Sir? Can you stop glaring at me?"
Jones sat at the other end, trying vainly to be strong. Wang Leon was studying his phone, hashtagging something possibly. It was not good enough, someone was missing.
"Where's Lee?"
"I'm here-"
"Not you."
Yao's grim face turned kinder at the words.
"Ha Eung's stomach is still too weak for chicken-so he'll be having porridge."
"That stinks! Can't he have at least a little?"
His twin sister asked her brother with a sweet face that could have melted the ice of Antartica.
"He can't."
The words surprisingly fell from her own mouth.
"But..."
"Do you want him to puke again?"
Natalia stood from the table.
"Give me the porridge. I'll take it to him."
"Oooh, Elizaveta's missing out on all this-"
"Mei, please."
Kiku sighed, and Yao stood, passing her a bowl of porridge, along with a spoon.
"After you give him this, come straight downstairs. We can't have our guest starving, can we?"
Her eyes met the Chinaman's, kind and warm, and she could understand why Ivan had a crush on him. He was warmth, a different sort of fire from his brother, similar to his sister who Jones loved so much.
"Yes."
When Natalia had entered his room, he'd been singing.
"I can swear, I can joke, I say what's on my mind-"
"Who knew you could sing?"
Her voice wasn't snide, so he let her ask her questions.
"If I drink, if I smoke I keep up with the guys-"
It had been Ha Yeon's ultimate favorite song, but he personally thought it matched Natalia more than his sister.
"And you'll see me holding up my middle finger to the world. Fuck your ribbons and your pearls, 'Cause I'm not just a pretty girl."
The Belarusian didn't say anything more, tossing him a spoon.
"What's this for?"
"Your porridge. If you can keep it down without throwing up. But then, you're even singing. You can possibly eat it."
He could see she was holding a bowl, now.
"You don't have to hold it. Just put it down and go- you need your proteins."
"I am not leaving. Till you finish that glop."
He hated porridge, but he took the bowl resentfully, forcing himself to swallow. It felt disgusting, but he couldn't throw up. Not again. She was looking at him expectantly.
"Good."
He made it through half of the bowl, gnashing his teeth at his fate. Natalia was studying him, her eyes cool.
"Why did you do that?"
"What?"
"Back at Christmas-"
She cut him off with a sweep of her hand.
"It was my fucking choice. I make a decision and I followed it."
"You deserve better."
"It's my life. Not yours. You don't get to tell me what to do. I won't be acknowledged as just a pretty girl."
"You deserve better."
He felt like an idiot, as he shoveled at the porridge. It was a little bit too late when he realized how queasy he was.
"Lee?"
Clutching at his mouth, he ran out of the room, heading to the third floor bathroom-and missed. Barely. Tears stung his eyes with embarrassment as he stared at the mess he'd made.
"It's okay."
She was standing behind him, and her voice was almost motherly.
"I'm sorry! I really-"
"It's okay."
"I really am, I'm so sorry-"
His voice wobbled, and he wiped his eyes, trying desperately to stare at something else.
"I'll clean this up. It's okay."
He felt a hand on his shoulder, but he ignored it. He had puked his guts out in front of her for two times in a row. He should be dead with embarrassment.
"Damn it, Ha Eung, it's okay!"
Natalia sounded exasperated.
"You will go and take a blasted shower. I'll tell your brother to get your clothes for you, and you are going back to bed straight after. Get it?"
"But... I... I need to c...clean this up.."
"I'm doing the cleaning. You. Go. Now."
As the cold water of the shower blasted over him, Ha Eung silently berated himself. Why, oh why, did he have so much bad luck?
"I heard you were sick. Poor child-"
Yao was outside, handing him his clothes, casual. He sighed, taking his stuff, drying his black hair with his towel.
"It's all right."
"You don't need to pretend to be cold, Ha Eung. You don't need to be this-"
His brother pointed at him, at the scars that ran across his back, from the times with Kiku and the brawls with Jones.
"-This what? This psycho?"
"No, no-I mean, you're not what you are."
"This is me."
Shoving himself into his clothes, he ignored his older brother, who was obviously concerned and unhappy. Let him be unhappy, a voice whispered in his head. Surprisingly, a part of him wanted to go and tell Yao that he was sorry, that he was tired and lonely. As usual, he kept his thoughts to himself, and reentered his room.
"You took long enough."
Natalia, hands on hips, glared at him.
"I'm retiring to bed. Just as you said. Why are you glaring at me?"
The girl continued to give him the evil eye, even as he crawled back in.
"Stop making me worried."
She was by the door when she said the words, and again, his two selves clashed. Part of him wanted to ignore what she had said, but the other part-
"I'm trying."
"Try harder, then."
The door closed behind her back, leaving him to be consumed in darkness.
I finally updated! Term has finally started, and from the next story, they'll all be a year older-their grades are going to change-the seniors will be leaving the school after this year, while the juniors be seniors. So the age will be like this.
Wang Yao, Arthur Kirkland, Francis Bonnefoy, Ivan Bradinski-31
Honda Kiku, Hercules Karpusi, Ludwig Beilschmidt, Feliciano Vargas-19
Wang Mei, Lee Ha Yeon, Lee Ha Eung, Alfred F. Jones, Matthew Jones, Elizaveta Hedervery, Natalia Bradinski, Ekaterina Bradinski-18
Wang Leon, Emil, and most of the Nordics-17
Thank you all for the long wait, and I sincerely apologize.