𝐒𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐗

𝟎𝟑 | 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓

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    "Is your room to your liking, (Y/N)?" Takeshi asked whilst they were in the middle of dinner, chopsticks clinking against his bowl as he picked up a chunk of rice.

"It's nice, I love it," the girl smiled, glancing over the spread of traditional Japanese cuisine and cutlery.

She knew that Takeshi and his sons hailed from a traditional Japanese family, but it was all so new to her that she didn't even know where to start. Dishes of all kinds filled with all sorts of food surrounded her, and while it smelled delicious, she didn't know what to try in fear that it might not be to her liking and then she would offend the Ramone family.

"That's wonderful," he smiled, teeth a brilliant white that she hadn't noticed before. "Now, I know that you are still recovering from your accident, but Miranda told me that she would like to enroll you in the boys' school, Maison De La Prospérité."

"Huh?" She looked up, puzzled.

"It means House of Prosperity. It's quite a well-recommended institute, and I know you'd like it there since both Ashton and Kai graduated from there with the highest marks in their grades, while the rest of my sons all enjoy attending."

"Okay, when should I start?"

He glanced at Miranda, who set down her spoon after finishing her soup, wiping her mouth before saying, "You'll start Monday."

"What!?" (Y/N) exclaimed, her expression shifting into one of betrayal and disbelief. "Barely only three weeks after I woke up, you want me to move here with people I don't even know, and now you want me to go to school again? A new school at that where I don't even know anyone!?"

"Honey..." she sighed, brows furrowing as her lips turned down into a frown. "You're up and moving. That means you can go to school."

Exhaling in disbelief, her appetite that wasn't there to begin with fully gone, she shakily stood up while placing her crutches under her arms and left, muttering under her breath the pent up frustrations she had been feeling ever since Miranda told her that they'd be moving. Said woman rubbed her temples in exasperation, her soon to be husband rubbing her back in comfort before flicking his gaze up and glaring at the snickering faces of his sons.

Jay and Haru both wore similar smirks across their lips as they viewed the confrontation, Ashton, Kai, and Cassius meanwhile looking impassive to anything that was happening around them. Mikael didn't even show up.

"I'll go and talk to her, Father, Miranda," Ashton stood up, the latter looking at him in relief.

"That would be great, thank you Ashton," she smiled warmly at the boy.

Ever the diplomatic son, he gave her a bright smile before excusing himself from the table, the help around quick to clear his plate since he had made it clear he was done there as well. With one hand in his pocket and the other gliding up the banister as he walked upwards, it wasn't long before he reached (Y/N)'s room and knocked gently on the door.

"Mom, please, I'm not in the mood to talk," her voice came from the other side.

The man merely hummed in response before knocking once more, surprise flashing across his features when the door was yanked open, revealing the girl supporting herself with the wall while also holding up a towel around her body.

"Mom, I—" she cut herself off when seeing him standing there, abruptly closing the door in his face after her eyes widened.

"(Y/N)?" He called, not at all fazed by her appearance—knowing she was just about to get into the shower judging from the lack of water dripping from both skin and hair. "Sorry to intrude like that, but I was wondering if you could talk?"

"If my mom sent you, then no."

On the other side of the door, the girl cursed herself for forgetting that she now no longer could do stuff like what she just did, feeling her ears burn with heat from the embarrassment she felt, especially after just storming away from the dining table like she did.

"I really would like to speak to you, (Y/N). Could you perhaps put on some clothing so I could come in?"

Groaning, wishing she could just ignore him but knowing her mother would be all up in her business if she knew she was being rude to her new soon to be step brothers, she did as he asked and then opened the door again. Limping to her bed, she sat down as he closed the door behind him and sat down in a nearby chair across from her.

Silence soon followed.

She shifted, resting her hands underneath her thighs, the skin warm since she had only quickly thrown on a shirt and shorts, and felt quite uncomfortable since he only stared at her with a serene smile.

Almost like... this is business, rather than family matters.

Ugh...

Family...

It's weird now that it won't be just me and mom... but I guess I did always want a sibling.

Never expected to get so many.

"So..." she began, looking him square in the eye so she could get the conversation over with. "...why do you need to talk? I know my mom sent you, but... I don't want to talk to her yet."

"I wasn't going to talk about tonight," he instead insisted, leaning forward and lacing his fingers together while resting his forearms on his legs. "I was going to talk about the fact that you and your mother's presence here is unnecessary. However, since Father wanted it, it's been allowed. But..."

Something about the way Ashton looked made (Y/N) tense up, moving further away when he in turn moved closer to her, pressing his hands on either side of her form to cage her in.

His eyes were the worst part.

They were cold, unchanging; like they held no emotion or feeling within.

"If you do anything that upsets our life, I will surely make it so that your own will be nothing but a living hell," he said all this with a smile, like he wasn't even threatening her. "Do you understand?"

Swallowing thickly, she nodded.

"Good girl," he pat her head like she was a dog, straightening his tie before walking out.

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