The following morning, he set off for his trip after the male servant packed his stuff and heave the luggage into the car.
"Papa..." Twisting his shirt between my fingers and thumb, "Can you not ask them to take care of the contract for you?" I raised my head, blinked my eyes and managed a faint smile.
Looking at him, "When has the billionaire entrepreneur lacked in employees that demand himself to be present in the trip?" I tell him sarcastically.
"Who is stopping you papa?! I know you can..." I still believed if I tried again, if I tell him one more time he would be convinced in the end, because after all I was his daughter. If only I could prevent him from leaving this time.
"I have to. Wish I could stay back. " A smile appeared across his face and soon faded away. "But I assure I will be coming back every vacation to see my princess." He laid a hand upon my shoulder and his other hand petting my head.
"....." I stop twisting his shirt and let it go.
He then divert his attention to the boys, "Sons, I believe you would take good care of my daughter during my absence."
They flap their eyelashes and replied with a nod. "Yes, father rest assured. She's our responsibility now." Said the eldest one unemotionally. "You need to be there on time. Please then.." He directs him to the car and courteously opens the car door for him while lowering his head after he gets in. "Take care father."
I raised my hand and waved him goodbye while he smiles back with those friendly gestures waving back at us and leaves me behind with my brothers...
But he promised to come back every vacation! It's only a matter of some short stay Amehana, cheer up! I convinced myself.
I believed he would and even if he did, he returned every once in six months and twice a year for a week. He did not even attend my thirteenth birthday let alone to answer my calls when I missed him as he got himself engaged in meetings and works all days. Eventually we got used to his absence and he was long forgotten as if his existence with us were completely erased.
"Brother Haru, I wanna play! Can we?"
"Aito-Aito kun, can I play with you too?"
"Brother Sora, let's play the dollhouse we always do!"
"My bunny said he misses you can we please play together, brother Daichi?"
Just how long has they been acting so stiff and cold towards me? Their silence were like needles and my heart was bleeding. Why are they behaving like Iam a nuisance to them? What have I done to receive such cold shoulders? No, I have to straight things up for our sake.
"Why are you doing this to me?" My voice shatters the silence in the dining hall. And they watched me in cold gestures.
I lower my eyes sadly but bravely look up at them again, "Am I being punished for being a bad girl or something like that? Tell me so I'll make up to you..."
The maids after foreseeing the awkwardness, look upon one another and leaves the hallway silently after setting the table.
"You still don't understand don't you?" The second brother looked blankly at me, "The thing is we don't want you anymore."
"I....I..why-" In dumbstruck.
"Uh..we forgot you are a blockhead to begin with." He leaned over the table with his elbow in blank expression in a sarcastic manner.
The fourth brother make an evil chuckle, "Come on Brother Haru, stop beating around the bush and tell everything to this brat or she start crying again. Such a pain in the ass." He yawns in dull.
I blinked my eyes in baffle at their strange rude behaviour in immobile. Of course this isn't the first time they are acting weird. There were times when I was scolded or got them mad. But my instincts were telling me there was something off about them today.
I smile uncomfortably, "Please don't be rude brother-"
"Brother-brother-brother. Stop calling us brother when you are not even our real sister! We are sick of the likes of you!" The third brother growl between his teeth with such bitter hatred I never saw.
"The likes of me??" I speak slowly and clenches my dress with a tight grip, "How could you shout at me?" I say hurtfully.
"We never once considered you as our family. Not even today, not even tomorrow and would never be." The eldest one finally speak up after staying quiet for a long time observing my every action as my lips tremble in disbelief.
My eyes were shimmering with emotions which I had been holding back for quite a while, "A-are we playing some sort of game? Uh, we havnt played in a while so-" I swallowed my words in pain when tears started to welled up in my eyes which flowed like raindrops.
I was still in disbelief. No, I didn't want to be believe. Please don't wake me up from the dream I have grown to be so fond of. A dream which was so real and beautiful and the fantasy that was so close was tearing my heart apart. But it was instantly shattered into pieces the second time he spoke. As though I was being thrown away.....
In a glaring manner, "Everything was a lie. An act to please you. In simple words, it was merely a script acting out the play we were told. Are you satisfied now?" He raises his eyebrows. "You have your answer now." He tells me coldly in void emotions. "This must have brought you back to reality no?" A smirk flickered at the corner of his mouth after watching me cry and took a quick delight in having being the caused of them.