'What makes him so confident?' Alex thought perplexed.
The soft laughter approached the table as Yuki holding her brothers arm, teased him scratching the end of her hair on the back of his hand.
(*Japanese*)
"It's not even itchy, why isn't my hair as soft as yours?"
"Yours is like straw, a horses!" Showing a toothy grin.
Tugging on her hair, he said. "Your the one with the horses tail."
Her dark grey eyes shone like diamonds, as her brother distracted her from the impending doom. A light flush on her cheeks, a dimple showing as she smiled.
'Its good to have a younger sister',Hayato thought as he rubbed her head gently.
Alex at that moment, hearing the conversation thought that one of the voices sounded more than familiar. However, putting that to one side he straightened up his suit, wiping the imaginary dust from his trouser leg. Arrogantly, showing his disinterest.
Caroline slightly stunned by her smiling face, a little excited walked towards her in greeting.
"Yuki... how are you?",her red lips curved into an amicable smile.
Hugging her, Yuki flinched in her warm arms. "I'm good. How are you?"
Although Yuki had her tenacious demonic qualities, she was also polite when she wanted to be. Her aura showing that of a refined young woman, making her brothers lips twitch.
Utilising the resonance link between himself and his sister, one of the traits of the gift inherited. Although, it was supposedly similar to the concept of mind reading, she didn't dare try it on anyone else other than her own family. It was more instinctual like reaching out for a glass of water, he was able to hear her thoughts whenever he wanted as long as she let him enter it.
'Yuki you're amazing, where is demon Yuki gone?'
'Demon? Your head!' Yuki smiled, pushing him out making his eyebrows twitch a little.
As the two women embraced, one more slender than the other, her head resting on her shoulder. She saw the figure of a slightly tan, blonde haired man turning towards her. Her face still smiling happily, she saw his tall muscular body stand as he straightened his blazer and wiped down his trouser legs.
'Is this the guy?' Quietly clicking her teeth, strangely finding what she could see of his face familiar.
****
Unsure of what to do, he stood by his seat thinking his mother would introduce the woman to him. Having already a bad feeling about her, he took his time showing poor manners. His thin lips in a straight line glancing at his mothers back.
Seeing a pair of white slender hands and cleanly trimmed nails. A mole on her index finger, he frowned, finding the action of her drumming her fingers on his mothers waist vaguely familiar.
Perplexed he thought, 'Do I know anyone with a mole on their finger? , I don't spend much time with women... how would I find this familiar?' His hands clenched as he rolled his eyes.
****
"Ah- Yuki... Let me introduce you" , Caroline said smacking her mouth in realisation.
Moving out of the way and holding her hand, " This is my son Alex..., Alex this is Yuki."
Wearing an all black suit and a coordinating teal tie, the resemblance between them could be seen. Stiffening in realisation, she struggled to keep her expression the same, her irises trembling and face paling seeing his face.
'Was his name Alex?' Trying to remember.
That chiselled jaw and blue-green eyes that had sparkled at her when they talked. His hair in the sunlight, like strands of gold was combed back smartly unlike his messy bed head she'd seen in the past.
'What kind of sick joke is this?'
Her father who was observing her reaction discreetly, clenched his jaw. His murderous aura fully suppressed as he listened to Yuki's thoughts unbeknownst to her. His eyes gleaming with vigilance.
****
Lost in his thoughts, trying to figure out who the hands were similar to, he was brought back to reality when he heard his mother introducing him. Walking over keeping a safe distance, glancing from bottom to top an eyebrow raised at the refined taste.
Seeing the woman's polite smile, his heart almost stopped, his eyes darkening a little speechless.
'Yukari...'
His heart raced, doing quick math in his head unable to do anything but stare at the woman's face.
Dressed like a modest young lady-like a Japanese doll. Her hair was long and braided down the side of her shoulder, like spilled ink and her eyes were large and trembling.
Looking at him, he could see how she was trying hide how nervous she was. Her eyes like a blazing tempest, watching them transition dazedly from a coal like grey to a more liquid silver.
The dimple that only he knew about was on show from having smiled at her brother. An urge of unexplainable jealousy ran through him, wanting to hold her in his arms like hiding a precious treasure.
'What's going on?' Thinking, that her father must have been the one keeping him from finding anything out about her.
He saw how her pouty, petal like lips were forced into a smile. Hiding a firmly clenched hand inside her sleeve something dripped... a drop of blood.
Wanting to be close to her, he was about to pull out the seat next to him when he heard her father call out to her.
****
"Little plum", her fathers call bringing her out of her reverie. "Come sit beside me."
"Yes." Whispering softly.
Having smelt the blood from where he sat, he had prepared a napkin on his lap.
Waiters filed into the room, with the main course as they took their seats, Alex's burning gaze never straying from her face.
Folding up the napkin and holding her wrist, whilst the guests were distracted with the incoming waiters placing food and wine on the table. He dealt with her wound surprising her.
Stunned looking at her father as he folded the sleeve of her cardigan down, not missing Alex's attention as he wet a corner of his silk handkerchief with water. Carefully wiping away the blood from her long fingernails and on the inside of her palm. Sighing she looked at him, tying it around her hand tightly placing the handkerchief back into his pocket.
Though her father was never rude to her, she felt on edge with him as his natural personality was more cold and crude. However, she couldn't help be a bit surprised at his intimate gestures although he wouldn't say anything.
He probably was someone who understood her feelings most, though there was a tacit understanding of not wanting to expose how they felt. Her father having lost his wife and her a mother.
Taking a sip of water, she almost choked when Caroline suddenly asked "About the wedding -is in six months time too short a period of time?"
Taking a sip of wine he replied nonchalantly, "Let's talk about it back at the hotel away from the kids."
Smiling softly with an eyebrow raised she asked her teasingly, "Are you that desperate for me to move in with you?" Her voice like velvet attracting the attention of the male waiters, as if never seeing a pretty girl before.
Immediately receiving dark looks from Alex, perplexing Hayato as he observed silently eating his Sicilian fish and salad.
"Yes!" Replying with honesty. "You can keep me company instead of these muscle heads, who work all day. We can spend more time together, you also spend more time with Vic and we can go shopping!" She persuaded squeezing her hand, her expression changing from smiling to cringing.
Hearing her being so familiar with his family confused him, looking at his father as he placed a piece of meat in his mouth.
Hayato who suddenly laughed looking at Caroline he said "Please don't! Anymore and she'll really turn into a doll."
Looking at him questioningly, he explained with a slight cough. "Louis has been into buying shares of luxury clothing brands and sending her clothes, so that Catarina can dress her up. I think last time she almost made you sign a modelling contract?"
Facing all of there questioning looks she smiled sheepishly a cold look in her eyes. "Hayato wasn't that your fault? You even got Paul to push me to do it." Complaining softly.
Pulling out his phone and opening his gallery, smiling evilly. "I even have photos!"
Extending out her hand to grab the phone, Yuki looked on in horror. Alex smiled, his eyes sparkling with a hint of amusement.
'Louis since when did you have this strange habit of dressing up another man's woman?'