😊 Hello everyone, Happy to be back. Thank for everyone who were patience and kept supporting me by leaving me nice comments. It means a lot to me. 😊

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All the hardest, coldest people you've ever met were once as soft as water.

And that's the tragedy of living in a world so cold.

We just can't have nice things.

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-Chapter 42- -They hide behind me-

When the front door opened and multiple footsteps entered the home, both guys got on their feet. None of them tried to move from their spots.

The silence minutes ago is now filled with the multiple voices of my father's good friends.

This dull place became vibrant with positive energy the more their cheerful voices were heard, throwing me into a confused state because my father's friends usually come on the weekends to catch up on things.

But today was different. What was the special occasion today? It's a good thing I'm presentably dressed; I can't say the same for the boys who looked like a total mess.

They are so... getting in trouble later with Ms. Nancy when she comes back from the flower shop.

The air that got stuck in my throat was released as my heart speeded down a bit, slightly glad that my father would be the first one to find them in this mess and not their mother. Because I wouldn't know what to do if she slapped them in front of me.

I just do not like it when she does that, because sometimes she just hits them for stupid reasons when they haven't done anything that deserved that reaction from her.

Of course, she doesn't do that in front of me. But it's really not hard to tell when she does it. And somehow, I'm starting to believe my father doesn't know she does that to the guys.

"I'm going to get something cold to drink." Mr. Ruzzo's deep, low voice resonated through the hall as his heavy footsteps got closer to us.

He momentarily stopped at the entrance when he spotted us. " It looks like your boys are fighting again. And this time they went a little heavy-handed on each other. "Mr. Ruzzo says as he enters the dining room.

He eyed the twin guys from head to toe, as if he was trying to figure out why they fought each other with just one look.

It seems this isn't the first time they've fought like this. Like if they wanted to kill each other.

Is this normal between siblings or are they the only ones who act this way?

I was also curious to know what Kevin did to piss his twin brother off like that. Leo isn't usually a person who loses his patience like that, but right now it seems like he is at his last straw with his twin.

Something seems to be getting under Leo's skin, and it looks like the only way it's seems for him to let his rage out is by letting it out on the person who caused that strong emotion to boil over.

I am curious about what got Leo to this breaking point.

How bad could the problem be?

Kevin wouldn't do anything too stupid. Right?

What did Kevin do to get that reaction from his twin? I eyed Kevin, hoping that he gave anything away by his physical language alone, so it could just wash this curiosity away from me, but nothing.

His amusement was nowhere to be found anymore. All that was displayed on his face was boredom. Already bored of the conversation my father would be having with them when he laid his eyes on them.

"Again! Those rascals! " My father sighs out loud as he enters the dining room with a disappointing look plastered on his face. Good thing those disappointed eyes are not directed at me because I wouldn't know how to respond to that.

"What has gotten into you two? Why are you both fighting again?

Kevin, what the hell did you do to your brother? " My father voiced out in disbelief as he settled the heavy bags that he had in his hands onto the floor.

Both guys don't say anything, as if they wanted him to lose interest in them and in the water and glass mess on the floor. But my father wasn't a person who loses interest in things that easily, especially when both of his sons looked like they were jumped by multiple people.

"Emma, do you know why they are fighting?" The only thing that comes to mind is Leo getting smacked by his girlfriend on the field.

Maybe Kevin had something to do with that.

That was the only time I regretted sitting so far up, on the bleachers. I couldn't hear much from up there, especially when Juliet was talking to me about her boyfriend, non-stop, not caring about what was happening on the field.

I shrugged, not wanting to spill something that would get them in trouble, plus I didn't know the full story. For all I know, Leo could have been cheating on his girlfriend.

Many people make it clear that both brothers have problems maintaining a healthy relationship with their partners.

So I shook my head "No," hoping he would ask them again. My eyes landed on the twins, signaling and encouraging my father to ask them.

Both of them wouldn't look at me. Something is wrong here.

Why are they acting like I'm the main problem?

That... I somehow caused all this, but I stopped myself from thinking that, remembering what my therapist said about "Not every problem that arises is caused by you; things just happen because they happen."

Yet, why do I get the feeling that I'm involved in this mess?

It is this odd nudging feeling in my chest that doesn't go away no matter how many times I repeat her words in my head.

What could Kevin have done to drag me into his messy game of his?

Now my mind was reeling with questions and all the possible ways that he could have found a way to mess with me without physically doing so. "

We will have a very long, serious talk later when your mother comes back home.

But for now, go to the living room. I got you guys something. I hope you guys like it and take care of them. " My father says, a little hint of excitement hidden in his disappointed tone, as he begins to gesture for us to come over to the living room.

Mr. Ruzzo shakes his head as he heads towards the kitchen to get something to drink without stepping on the water and glass shreds scattered on the floor.

The first thing my eyes landed on when I entered the living room was the black baby cat that Mr.Sung-ho had curled up in his big hands. It was like he was holding a fragile piece of art that could breathe and move as it wished.

Then my eyes land on the black puppy sitting on the side of his foot, trying to get any attention from him. The poor baby was failing at it.

"Do you guys like it?" My father smiles towards us, waiting for a response.

"Yes, I do. Thanks, Dad. " I beamed with a small smile, making my father's smile widen. He was pleased to see I liked it. Then his attention went to the guys, waiting for their reaction... but nothing.

Leo and Kevin didn't seem amused at all. It was like the animals in front of them were creatures that crawled out of hell at how they were looking at them.

Oddly enough, when both their eyes locked on the dog cage in the corner of the living room. Their eyes held familiarity and a hint of fear. Fear is hardly ever shown by them.

They both stiffly shake their heads without saying a word, as they both forcefully take their deadpan gaze off of it. They both seemed so tense, almost frightened of that dog cage.

Leo stepped closer to me, so close that I could feel his body heat behind me. It was like he sought comfort but couldn't bring himself to ask for some. Kevin, on the other hand, clenched his jaw as he folded his arms across his chest like a shield, protecting himself from everyone and everything.

Mr.Sung-ho got up from his seat on the couch and got closer to me with the small cat in his hands. He gently handed the cat over to me. The little sleeping furball curls more in my hands, cutting my attention away from the guys.

My smile grew wider when the little furball mewed and purred softly when its little eyes opened and landed on me.

I never thought in a million years that I would own a cat.

"Was this my mother's idea?" Kevin asked, with a hint of coldness in his low voice. He seemed closed off. His cold, defensive demeanor is so out of place here. It's like he wanted to rush out of here and never look back.

"No, she doesn't even know, yet." My father says as he gets down on one knee and starts lightly patting the dog's head, giving the little puppy the attention he was seeking from Mr.Sung-ho, not realizing the emotionless, cold, almost unrecognizable expression that took over Kevin's sharp features, so different from the amused gaze he held a while ago when he succeeded in pissing his twin off.

"Oh... I see." Kevin lets out softly as he nods... Then, without saying another word, he makes himself up the flight of stairs without looking back. It's like he did not want to have anything to do with the two little cute animals.

Leo doesn't say a word as he follows his brother upstairs. Like his brother, there was no excitement in his eyes or a hint of a smile anywhere. Just like Kevin, he had an unrecognizable expression on his face, making me slightly worried.

"Are you sure they are not scared of animals?" Mr.Ruzzo asked out of nowhere when the twins were out of hearing range.

I was even starting to think the same thing because they seemed to not like the presence of the cute little animals at all.

"No, I don't think so. They both had pets before." My father says, a little confused by his friend's question.

"And what happened to their pets?" I asked, curiosity already getting the better of me. And because there were no pictures of those previous pets anywhere in the photo albums.

My father looked up as he sat himself on the couch, taking the little excited puppy with him.

" Well, one of them died of ingesting poison, while the other one died of getting rammed over by a car because it got loose from his dog collar.

Of course, both were accidental deaths.

The boys were attached to their pets, and it hit them hard when their favorite pets died one after the other.

They were their first and last pets. And I figured that maybe they'd like a new dog to make up for the ones that died. Seeing how they've been acting very gloomy these past few days.

This time I took extra precaution and brought a cage for the little dog and even one for the cat. So it won't happen again." My father sadly smiles as he places the happy puppy down.

"So... What are you going to name your little kitten, Emma?" Mr.Ruzzo changed the topic to lighten the mood as he gently rubbed his finger on the little cat's head.

"Aphrodite, "I said. Remembering the book that Alex recommended for me to read, and it got me hooked on the first chapter. He gave me a brief summary of it in the library. Something about Greek Gods and their messy lives and affairs.

And Aphrodite caught my attention. I don't know why... But it's a very pretty name.

"That's a nice name, kiddo," Mr. Ruzzo said, tussling my hair a little. It made me feel happy that I chose that name. It suits her.

I immediately noticed the pink cage that looked like a little cat house.

It has little fiery lights hanging from the little pink roof. A little welcome sign, cut out of a wooden fish skeleton, hangs from the little roof. It had a cat's fluffy bed, a toy, a bowl of water and food, and a little litter box.

Mr. Ruzzo took it and made his way carefully upstairs. I followed behind him, very thankful that he was helping me out with the cat cage.

When we made it to my bedroom, he placed it in the corner of my room next to the window.

"So the cat can get some sunlight when you are at school." He smiled when he looked back at me. He took the little cat out of my hands and placed it on its little pink bed, then covered her with a pink blanket.

The small cat purred as it closed its little honey gold eyes and drifted off to sleep again. Mr. Ruzzo made himself out of my bedroom, closing the door gently behind him, leaving me there awed by the black baby cat sleeping in its little bed.

I'm happy my father has enough trust in me that he's letting me take care of a small living thing.

But my joy was short-lived when Kevin entered my bedroom through the connected bathroom. My legs moved faster than my mind could.

The moment I grabbed the doorknob to escape from him, he tightly grabbed me by my waist and pulled me towards his body, wrapping his strong arms securely around my waist.

His tense muscles made me freeze on the spot. A few minutes into the hug, his body relaxed. He hugged me for a small moment, as if he was trying to recollect himself.

For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. But that thought flew out the window when the feeling of his wet shirt pressed against my back, making me realize that it was not a dream.

He buries his face in the crook of my neck, making goosebumps rise on my body when his breath softly caresses my sensitive skin.

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How has everyone been this past few weeks? I hope you doing well and making your wishes come true.

Please ignore any errors you may find I'll fix them when I finish with this book 🥳😊.

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