Chapter 18: Chapter 17:
As the boy with dirty blond hair opened the window and loosened the curtains, he gazed at the pale grey sky lined with delicate clouds discharging a gentle rainfall as they hovered over the area.
Aniel currently had his headphone plugged into his computer, he had been occupied playing games. He hasn't even left his room for approximately four days because he shut himself into his space.
The cold wind flew and invited them into his room. That was what he wanted, he needed air to breathe. Although he wasn't focusing on what is happening outside he appreciated the wind that cane to freshen him up somehow.
The room was silent, only the sound of clicking can be heard.
The cold wind didn't bother him as he was wearing a long sleeve shirt and black pants.
Few hours have passed and finally, he finished the game. He rolled back his sleeves carefully. He was fully clothed showing no skin from toes to neck.
Aniel then leaned on his gaming chair and let out a long sigh before staring outside his window, watching the rainfall while slowly spacing out.
"How much time has passed?" He once again took a deep breath but soon groaned in pain.
Aniel scrunched his eyes as a headache takes over his head. He felt dizziness and nauseousness suddenly coming over.
"Ugh... Shit..." He moaned in pain. He was hearing some kind of unexplained whistling and buzzing noises. It was loud for his ears and he did not like it at all.
"Young Master, dinner is ready," the maid from outside knocked.
"Ugh!" He groaned louder as his head started sizzling from the sudden noise.
"Young Master?" The maid knocked twice once again.
"I don't want to eat! Go away!" He shouted, resisting the pain.
"But Young Master-"
"Shut up! Go away!"
"... If that is Young Master's wish then please excuse me."
Once the maid's footstep was gone he tried to stand up from his gaming chair but then felt the weight of his whole body. He fell on the floor, with his hands on his head.
"Ugh! What-"
Before he knew it his voice and strength were slowly losing their power. His view was slowly going dark as his hearing became quieter as if all the sounds are slowly fading away as well as the soft tapping of the rain.
Aniel was about to lose consciousness, he knew it. Before closing his eyes footsteps were the last sound he heard.
••••••
"Why? What happened?"
"As I said, my lady. Young Master Aniel fainted due to intense stress, hunger, and lack of sleep. His body is a bit... in pain too."
Aniel could hear mumbles. He was still lightheaded that is why he wanted to rest some more and couldn't bring to open his eyes.
"Arien's brother is in pain?!"
"It seems so my lady."
Slowly his hearing became better and the voice of his precious twin sister ratified by his ear. The agonized tone of Arien filled his room.
Aniel steadily moved his hand and opened his eyes. Arien was someone he could not ignore, even if the world tells him to.
"Arien," Aniel spoke with a dry voice before coughing.
"Aniel!" Arien shouted while walking running towards her twin brother who was trying his best to sit upon his bed. She helped him up first before giving him a glass of water which Aniel drank slowly.
"Anieeel," Arien whined worriedly while placing the glass back, looking worriedly at him. Aniel then signed the family doctor with his hand while not looking at him. The doctor bowed and left the room, closing the door.
"Aniel, your arm!" Arien cried while gently lifting his brother's arm. Aniel was surprised to see his arm wrapped in bandages, he was changed into a shirt and much more comfortable shorts.
"The maid was really surprised to see Aniel passed out on the floor. There was blood on his long sleeves so she called the doctor immediately," Arien's voice cracked.
"Aniel said not to keep secrets from each other. Aniel promised," Arien spoke in a quavering voice.
"Aniel's skin... Why? Waaah, Aniel," Arien cried, her legs lost their strength. She sat down on the chair behind her, covering her eyes.
"Big Brother promised to..." Her voice was shaking and weakening almost mumbling.
Aniel couldn't speak at all. His twin crying in front of him hurts him badly. Seeing her weak was more painful than the bruises on his skin.
He frowned hoping to stop his tears from escaping his eyes, he took a deep breath and put on a poker face when Arien suddenly spoke while looking down.
"Arien hates it! How could twin brother put on a poker face when he's clearly in pain?"
"How could you just take a breath and put on a face saying it's fine. Brother, it's not fine! Please... Brother can cry, it's just us. Arien will be the only one seeing him in a weak state. Aniel can... Aniel can lean on Arien!"
Arien looked straight at his eyes with eyes full of determination. Aniel who was surprised by his twin sister's action left a little gap in his mouth. He looked at her, her eyes were puffy and red. He closed back his mouth and thought.
'That's why I can't cry... Because you're here. I'm your brother, your friend, your pillar, your pillow, your one and only brother from who you can take strength. I have to be strong for both of us. But...'
"Brother, is Arien not good enough of a support to you? How can you hide these things from her? Arien is hurt! You're hurting Arien!"
He looked down furrowing his brows to not break his poker face, he was trying hard, so hard but the warm touch of his sister in his hands broke him. Tears started to flow to his cheeks. He couldn't stop it, his heart felt like it's being cut to pieces.
"I'm sorry if I'm hurting you, I was just in pain too. I didn't want to see you cry and worried at all. I'm sorry."
He held his sister's hand before kissing it. The hardest thing at that moment was having the feelings in his heart that he can't put into words.
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm not that strong. I'm sorry," Aniel said grasping Arien's hand. His arm and feet were in pain but he couldn't care less.
Arien looked down at him, she saw how his brother showed a pained expression for the first time once again. It had been a long time since she saw him like this, it has been 7 years. His brother has been too strong for seven straight years.
Her eyes shone as liquid started to form one again. She sat beside him in the bed whimpering trying not to cry loudly. She said she's going to be the comforter today so she was trying hard too.
Arien gently pulled Aniel's head to lean on her shoulders. Aniel was touched by his win sister's action and unintentionally smiled a little.
"You've grown, Arien," he whispered.
Aniel wanted to throw his arms around her but instead, they sat there by each other's side shivering and quietly enjoying each other's presence.
Aniel started to think.
'Why? Why is the world so cruel?'
'To think that the world made sure that we'll suffer every day. Why do we even exist? Why do we live? When will we die?'
'For fuck's sake we're only 16! Why?! There's a billion fucking people in this world, and fate chose us. I want to be greedy and selfish, I want the world to be safe for us.'
The twins were together the whole night, not saying anything. They were two broken people struggling to reach each other.
"Brother, Arien wishes to know what happened. How did Aniel get these bruises? It's horrible, the bruise was so long, from Aniel's shoulders to his elbow, there's also wounds in his knees, and-and his feet were also in a bad state, the doctor said that Aniel won't even be able to walk for at least a week because of how bruised it was."
"Aniel's back was also full of scars... Tell Arien... Please?"
She was looking down playing with their intertwined fingers while Aniel was just spacing out.
"You insolent child! Give me the belt!" The drunk lady said.
Aniel who was just passing by was suddenly dragged into the living room. He only wanted to drink some water but instead met with a furious mother in the hallway.
Aniel who is currently kneeling on a ton of beads was looking down with a poker face. He hates pain but he couldn't do anything.
"Madam Fransin..." A maid came in from the door hesitantly while looking worriedly at the young master.
"This is not right madam," The maid said almost whispering from a long distance.
"Ha! Who are you to talk back to me?!"
"What?! How dare you spit your mouth to the madam of this house. Stay out of this you Bitch!" The lady said stomping her way to her. The maid then shivers to fear.
The madam raised her hand ready to slap the maid's face when Aniel spoke.
"Just get the belt, let's get this done with," he glared at the maid.
"Young Master?" The maid whimpered scared. Tears were flowing down her cheeks. She wanted to do the right thing but it seems it was only to make the situation worse.
"This son of a bitch!" The lady walked towards him and slapped his face with her hard palm.
Aniel's cheek became red and swollen yet his expression didn't change. He glared at the maid once again.
"Just go..."
The maid was hesitant but when her young master was slapped by the madam once again she bowed at him.
"I'm sorry," she said and ran out of the room. The madam's maid then came in with a black heavy belt.
Deep down Aniel was scared, no matter how often this happens he still is afraid but he was used to it.
There were still some fresh wounds that haven't healed yet, he was sure it was going to hurt.
"Aniel you can't die," he whispered to himself.
He hates how he got used to being beaten up. He didn't want this. He wanted to fight back but how could a 16-year-old do that?
As the first hit strike, his skin began to become red. As time passes his body was becoming numb. He felt his skin, wound, and blood becoming colder. The laughter of the madam can be heard, as she hit the poor boy her laughter began to be louder and louder.
His body has already become numb, he didn't know how much time has passed but it felt like years of pain.
His eyes began to cloud at that moment. But his sister came to mind. He knew he couldn't give up, he can't leave his sister alone in this cruel world.
"Aniel?"
"Huh? What?" Aniel bounced back to reality.
"Is Aniel okay? Does it hurt?"
Arien gulped upon touching his arm. Arien was so shocked when he saw the fresh wound on his brother's skin. She knew who did it, she has always been dreaming to keep her away. She has always keep dreaming of finally escaping and leaving this place.
"I'm fine," he said but Arien looked at him with a distressed expression.
Beaten all around his body that resulted in countless wounds, he dealt with them alone.
"It's fine. I'm fine."
"Quit saying Aniel's fine when he's not! It's not alright, it has never been alright!" Arien shouted her dried tears getting replaced with new ones.
Aniel hugged her and comforted her.
"Tsk, Stop crying, I'll be alright."
"I won't stop crying, I'm tired of pretending to be alright! I won't stop until your bruises are all healed until we find the angel that will change our life. I won't stop crying until we're finally really fine!"
Arien was already tired from being weak, she always taught that she was the reason his older brother is suffering. If only... If only she didn't become his twin. If only if he was an only child.
"It's okay to keep fighting, but Brother please rest too. Brother can't fight continuously, he needs to rest, he needs Arien too."
It has always been Aniel who's by her side. No one else was. They have been suffering for almost 5 years. 5 years without their loving father.
"If dad woke up from his coma, he will be very angry with you! So brother please rest!"
Aniel knew that Arien hates to talk about their dad who left them to sleep for a very long time. That is why he couldn't refuse anymore.
"... Alright."
With the stars hanging out to play and the evening taking on that aroma of the night, his room was silent. The 16 years old twins who were with each other that night came to infer that they will always be with each other.
After the long night of drama and pain, the feeling of their brain shifting gears started. They were drowsy and soon they both fell asleep with each other's company.
******
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