Aloysia spun around in response to her name being called. She knew the person was not Touka. The voice was much deeper and manlier. A lanky, tall boy stood before her, his brown-ember eyes softened into a more curious than otherwise suspicious he was a moment ago.
"It is you, sister," he sighed with a smile, revealing the row of neat, white teeth. Sister? Aloysia frowned. Anthony? Her eyes travelled from his disheveled dirty blonde hair to his fair complexion and his fairly broad shoulders. Indeed he had some characteristics that he and the young Anthony she knew shared but there was enough room for doubt. Just then, he stepped back.
"Hold on," Anthony rushed back in. He immediately saw Touka serving a customer and briskly walked up to her. Tapping her on the shoulder, he whispered in her ear, "My sister's outside. Better hurry. I think she might run off." Touka's eyes widened and placed the mugs of coffee on the table before walking away with him.
"Are you sure?"
"Her face was covered with a mask but I can recognize my own sister," Anthony retorted. Upon hearing that, Touka sped out of the café, hoping for at least a glimpse of her long lost best friend.
She bashed open the doors. "Aloysia!" she called. However, no one was in sight.
"Well, you sure do look out of breath," Chloe murmured amusedly. Aloysia muttered something under her breath, which sounded like 'Met your father' as she strode past where Chloe was lounging.
"By the way, my father's long dead," Chloe called after Aloysia, her eyes still glued to the television screen.
"I wasn't talking about your father!" Aloysia rounded on her, agitated. Realizing what she had done, she instantly calmed down and apologized.
"Oh, then whom were you muttering about?" Chloe raised an eyebrow, completely ignoring Aloysia's initial rude tone.
"My brother," Aloysia replied curtly.
"You have a brother?" Chloe questioned. Aloysia could not be bothered to answer that. "Well, is he cute?" Aloysia gave Chloe a weird look.
"He's younger than me."
"Ah, sad. I'm single you see," Chloe drawled, leaning back into the couch once more.
"So you were thinking of dating my brother?" Aloysia folded her arms in disgust.
"Why not?" Chloe sighed, playing with the remote. "After all, it would be much easier if you introduce me to him. Anyways, what about meeting your brother? Come, sit, have a cuppa," Chloe gestured towards the extra mug of coffee she had at the other end of the frosted glass coffee table. Aloysia obediently sat down and told the entire story to Chloe.
Though Aloysia was never a good storyteller, Chloe listened carefully throughout the long, draggy story. When Aloysia finally finished, Chloe smiled.
"You should see them one day."
"What?" Aloysia nearly spat her coffee out. "I beg your pardon?"
"You should see them one day," Chloe repeated. "After all, that boy is really interesting. I'm getting curious," she added darkly, sending shivers up Aloysia's spine. "Plus, I also want to see your brother. The name alone is rather handsome. What is his full name?"
Aloysia huffed in annoyance. "Edward Anthony Castlemaine, age thirteen. Good enough for you?"
"You guys aren't Japanese," Chloe said. Aloysia nodded. "Cool. Then where are you from?"
"England."
"Then why come here?" Chloe pressed.
"Who knows? Anyways, I plan on leaving this country and back to my home in London. Living here with all those ghoul investigators about is tiresome. I really despise it here," Aloysia took another sip from her mug.
"Oh?" Chloe leaned forward. "Or is it because of all the bad memories you made here?"
"No. Definitely not."
"Or because of the safety of your loved ones are at stake?"