Perfect Copy | KNBXKHR ??

02. A Ticket for Teiko

Well, he didn't mind, it only meant it was easier to use them to reach his goals. They would pave the way for him gladly with just a smile and kind words. Unknowingly, a satisfied yet full of disdain smirk etched itself on his youthful face at the thought. His face which was cleverly hidden in his red scarf his granny had hand-sewed for him hid his morphing and scornful expression.

Yeah, except for his granny, all of these people were pitiful. Pitifully innocent and pure for the children, pitifully foolish and arrogant for the adults. None of them knew what real power was, unquestionably, they had never met face to face with someone like Seijuro Akashi. The way each and every one of the people held themselves as if they were above others made him want to puke. They knew nothing of real power, they didn't have anything to back themselves.

In the end, perhaps it wasn't that other's weren't worthy of his attention. Maybe it was the fact that his standards were too high for them to reach. Nodding to himself, Mikaël felt satisfied with this reason. And anyway, it was better to have high standards than low ones anyone could answer.

"—kaël," a voice called out, snapping him out of his thoughts and bringing his mind back to the cemetery and funerals he was attending. Had he perhaps disrespected the dead? A guilty feeling subconsciously rose in his chest and, before he knew it, he gave them a prayer. Wishing for his lost and practically unknown relatives to have a peaceful rest. Lifting his head as to meet his granny's pale green eyes, Mikaël nodded.

"Let's go, little Francis is waiting for us," Renée reminded before taking her grandson's hand in her own once more and dragging him out of the cemetery.

"Ah, right mamiecchi, let's go," Ryota replied his voice even and holding a calmness inappropriate of a child his age. Francis, he mused as he followed his grandmother. The boy who currently was less than a year old was his cousin, his uncle's son.

When he thought of the baby, part of Ryota felt pity while the other held mostly empathy toward the young boy. Compassion, unlike Shintaro who became a doctor and knew how to be empathetic, to Ryota the notion was almost foreign. It wasn't something he often felt towards strangers.

It sent his heart in a strange motion, it wasn't his first time experiencing this feeling, but it was the first time it was so strong toward a stranger. Perhaps not a stranger as Francis biologically speaking was his cousin, but nonetheless, the emotion which sprung in his chest was almost suffocating for its intensity was grand. It was nearly as intense as the love he once held for his beloved.

He sighed, emotions faded, the proof would be his 'undying' love which now was only a weak and feeble flame. There was no use in dwelling over past relationships, he told himself, he would think about it once they met again, then he will know whether or not his feelings are still intact or if they have entirely disappeared.

A deprecative smile went to his face, for them to fade. He hoped they wouldn't.

::

"From now on the two of you are brothers, okay Mikaël?" Renée asked as she held the baby in her arms, her pale eyes staring at the eldest child expectantly. "Francis will be your little brother, and you the big brother, not cousins but brothers," she repeated, stating the two greenheads' status once more.