"Gina, my deary-dear ne-sama,
Always be my bubble and big-hearted, pretty, hardworking, sister. Cause you've spoiled me enough with your cooking, stopping now is equal to kicking puppies and you love puppies, right?
Sorry, I'm bad at words but you know what I mean, right?
And yeah, Happy Birthday. Hope you like the gifts.
Love, Reo-boo."
-Reo wishing Gina a happy birthday in a card, mailed from overseas.
...
R E O_
Distant look, blank face, slackened jaw and an eerie kind of stillness to Riku are the signs that let us know not to disturb him.
There's this little surprise my dear friend has up his sleeve. It's not exactly a secret but he just doesn't go around the world with a megaphone, announcing how he can see the future, feel the future.
And no, I'm not talking about the enhanced sixth sense of intuition some people are born with but actual sight. Like a foreseer. And trust me, sometimes it gives me the heebie-jeebies.
Now, please don't insult me by calling me and my words naive and bullshit because if someone told me that very aforementioned fact in some other universe where I wasn't born into a freak family, I'd go straight out and call them Mad Hatter.
So, trust me on this. That guy, the tall, extremely dimpled army officer is a fudging foreseer and we're all used to it. From time to time, he goes into these episodes and he calls them 'set on's, which apparently makes him go motionless. It doesn't matter where he is or what he'd been doing- the vision hits and he goes all statue on us.
Sometimes I wonder how in the world he managed to not have one of these weird situations while he had been in military training or any kind of important social event and missions. My guess is, the mind knows when it can go AWOL on its body and not cause any serious problems
He wasn't the easiest person to know just because of this ability of his but when we came to know each other he opened up in a sweet display of trust and shared it with us. Like a ten-year-old in the toy's aisle, we got excited and decided to monitor his every move and word, who cared if he got annoyed and pissed off in the process?.
And, long story short: We, now, know exactly when he ditches us to retreat into his mind and when he comes out. For instance, he'll be back in a few minutes.
"Hey, bud. Where did you go?" It was Minato, always the fussy and mommy.
Judging by the look on Riku's face I could say it certainly wasn't somewhere of rainbows and unicorns. Then again, when was the future ever yellow and warm and ice-cream and happily-ever-afters?
Oh! I almost forgot. This ability of his- of all people with abilities has one major setback.
They can never use that for their selves. Meaning: Riku can never see his future but the future of others and Gina, my sister, can never see the bonds between herself and her soulmate but everyone else's. Only someone else can do that for her.
Yeah, my sister has an ability too. Apparently, these people with abilities, pull at each other like gravitation. Gravity would be too strong a word to explain the pull between them. It's like, one day, they'd wake up and have this strong impulsion to visit a restaurant which that person normally doesn't even like- just to order a grilled sandwich, which clearly is the easiest stuff to make at their own home. And bam! They collide and they're long lost BFFs.
Honestly, I never felt overwhelmed nor bothered by the fact that all my life I've been surrounded by people who had mutated genes or in their language, 'gifted abilities' as long as I was not involved in whatever they could do or see. I love to be left alone and not be probed and prodded like their life's next assignment to fix or warn or guide.
You only live once, my friend. And I'd rather die when the string tears while I was bungee jumping from the Ryujin Otsuribashi rather regretting my decision to not try it just cause it's dangerous and life-threatening.
Hopefully.
But guess who is the first person Riku looks at after one of his major visions?
Ding, ding, ding! That's right! Me!
And the look he threw me will never, in any universe be the beginning of dandy and happy news.
"Don't," is the word I mutter, urging him to understand with my eyes and he takes the hint and shakes his head.
"I'm going to take a nap, okay? I feel kinda tired," Riku grumbles and heads straight to- of course- my room and shuts the door.
It's one of those setbacks of their abilities- the fatigue. The longer they use it, the more their energy is being used, by-products being fatigue, drowsiness, grumbling, and a state of Harry Potter-with-Voldemort's-anger-issues.
In short, a custom made man-period.
*We're used to it, trust me. We rarely get annoyed by it.*
"What the hell is that old fart's problem? I didn't even finish my briefing. That- that…. Just cause God cursed him with that weird mojo doesn't mean he gets past everything!" Hikaru bursts and Minato starts patting him on the head, bringing out a defiant pout on Hikaru's face.
*Or, just me.*
Yeah, Hikaru hates it when someone interrupts him when he's excitedly telling us about his plans.
The shrill noise of the doorbell breaks the weird silence and all of us jump, Hikaru the highest, and Minato let his wife, a.k.a my older sister in.
My sister stumbles in the room with two handfuls of bags and an I'm-so-happy-I-could-poop-sunshine smile on her face, "I brought hot-chocolate!"
Gina's homemade hot-choco is hands down the best hot-choc I've ever tasted and I have no one in my memories who disagrees with me once they've tried it too. But when asked for a recipe? She pulls a Hikaru on us and keeps it to herself. Those two have always been thick as thieves regarding food recipes and all things relating to the kitchen. The day they let someone else in will officially be the day I'll dye my hair ugly orange and pose cute pics on Instagram. With filters. Lots.
Hikaru's whole face lights up at the thought of Gina's hot-chocolate but honestly? When does it not if there's food at a ten-meter radius of him? I swear, sometimes it seems he has a food detector up his sleeve which he never told us about. And I'd bet my love life on the fact that it goes crazy when the food has chocolate in it.
Do note the sarcasm.
Hikaru strides over to her with the largest grin like a puppy. All he lacked were a pair of ears, a wagging tail, and a long, lolling tongue. He clutches the bags from her hands and Minato smacks a kiss square on her mouth. I settle in for a single, "And?" like the spoiled brat I am and everyone just stares at me before Gina's face splits into a taunting grin as if asking, "really?"
*Dammit.*
She knows I'm trying to rile her up.
*Of course, she does. Who do you think she grew up with?*
Ugh.
"And dumplings! Lots! So that all of you can eat till you puke." As if her grin was infectious, it spread all over. Minato was grinning and Hikaru was grinning and whooping.
Give these guys food and they're yours to do as you please.
Thank God, I'm immune to infections.
*Then why's the corner of your mouth twitching?*
I smother the irritating twitching and go busy with Hades and Perrie, petting them.
Gina, after her healthy dose of Minato (even their names rhyme!), looks around before frowning and voicing her concern, "Where's Rick?"
My sister and Riku always shared a unique kind of friendship ever since they found each other literally in a chicken restaurant. And it was only normal as they were born with an extra set of crazy in their head.
Their abilities, I mean. No offense to all the people out there with genetically developed and hereditary spiritual abilities.
Therefore, there are always times when only they knew how the other felt. Sometimes, Riku understood my sister more than her own husband, Minato, did.
I know. YIKES for Minato.
If it had been any other male than Minato- one of the softest, kindest, and most patient souls you'll ever come across- their marriage life would've been a disaster. How could I have blamed him when even I got jealous at the very beginning? It took me time but I eventually made buddy-buddy with the fact they had a reason- which they clearly never chose but were practically forced into- to understand each other and stick together.
Oh, but that doesn't mean Minato is a complete angel/golden boy every other romance novel or movie seems to contain whether it be the main male lead or the unfortunate second lead. I'd be pretty impressed if humans these days were so forgivable and delightful enough for God to make the sky barf out angels into the land of us formidable humans.
Minato gets one of those sulky boyfriends- and now- husband moods too. Luckily for them, my sister is one of the most romantic people out there and it barely takes any time before they're making up and waking the whole neighborhood up in the process.
"He just experienced one of the set-ons, as he likes to call them, and is sleeping it off. Must have been a rattling one. How's your feet, love? Still aching?" Minato's words pull me out of my head and he gets busy fussing over Gina as they take a seat.
And they're lost in their world.
This left me completely alone with Hikaru and it's a situation I both dread and anticipate. Sometimes, he becomes so unpredictable that before I can realize it's happening, I'm a part of one of his pranks or experiments. But like all competitions or wars, we have rules too and one of them is to declare a ceasefire when any one of us is busy replenishing our nutritional needs or attending to natural needs, for example: peeing. This rule was a product of Gina's wrath and Riku's mother-hen personality added with our guilt, injuries, and food waste after a glorious yet bad food fight between me and Hikaru. Home-made food. Gina's home-made food. Watching someone disrespecting and wasting food is one of her biggest pet peeves. Especially if it's made by her.
And that is the only reason I went ahead and took a seat beside Hikaru, who was happily gorging on whatever his hand could grab. "So….why California?" I ask as I help myself with a mug-full of hot choco and several dumplings.
Man, can my sister cook! But hell would freeze over before I admit, to be honest.
*Yeah, then who sent a card saying, 'Never stop being my sister because your cooking is my fuel,' I wonder?*
"What better way to spend a freezing ass holiday than warm beaches, all kinds of food, multi-racial people, and infinite booze?" He replies around a mouthful of dumpling- gag- and downs it with hot-choco."Damn it, that reminds me I have to book hotels and tickets for us." Even though his words held a level of urgency to them, his body language couldn't be more relaxed and devil-may-care. I just watched in amusement while sipping my served drink.
"Plus, I had a gut feeling. It kinda pulled me towards that idea," he suddenly announces before getting busy with himself. And at a very young age, I learned that not taking Hikaru's intuitive feelings seriously is one of the stupidest or sometimes regretful stunts you could pull.
***
Hikaru's face, worried and uncomfortable, stares at Reo, " I don't feel good about this, Reo-boo."
"Chill, will you? We'll be fine," Reo waves away his worry with a sunny smile and pats him on the back before seeing him off to the car.
Only to regret swatting away Hikaru's concern for the rest of Reo's life.
***
It was almost nine pm when there was a commotion signing that Gina and Minato were leaving when I heard a knock on my door- which only now I realized was open wide. I hastily kicked several pairs of socks under my bed before turning and clearing my throat. It was Riku with a calm smile, and two deep dimples on both cheeks. Sometimes, he really does surprise me with how comfortable he was with himself and in his skin. As if he has already found his inner peace which, according to master Oogway takes someone fifty years in a cave while fasting, to achieve. But here he stands in his late twenties as an inner peace personified. I often wondered if he's keeping his real age a secret. With his maturity and understanding nature, anyone would suspect that. Or that he just has a very old soul that is more fitting with the divine power of foreseeing bested upon him.
"Can I join in your workshop where you cook trouble?"
And very observant.
"Me and trouble? Pfft…I'm a mofoking angel!" I wink and wave him over to sit on the bed while I plop down on the swiveling- squeak chair. "So, what's up? Planning to stay the night?"
Hikaru fumbling around the apartment, searching for his laptop battery could be heard with his grumbling and cursing. It was only a matter of time before he gave up and came knocking at my door.
"Reo, I think you already know what I'm here for. You're too smart not to. I know that hearing me out is the last thing you want but this is very im-"
"You're right," I drawl, effectively cutting him off. Of course, I noticed him and Gina moving around discussing something. Something that brought a dark look over her features and made Riku fidget. Although I'd say they did right when they made sure to keep it from me.
I never want to hear it and playing a part in it is out of the question. I won't make a bed where I don't want to lie. It doesn't matter how much I try or what I try, what Riku saw, can never be changed. We can only wait until it happens. Now, I can either know about it beforehand and anticipate it to happen, dreading and being unsure the whole time or I can be caught off-guard when it actually happens and be myself the whole time it doesn't. Guess what I chose?
I won't fall for it. Won't fall for the allure of knowing the future beforehand. I wasn't cursed with that god-forsaken ability and I'm quite content. Won't fall for it after that horrible night.
***
A cellphone rings and Reo promptly picks it up in the process of checking out a candy packet label, "Hello?"
"Reo, listen, you have to go to Gina pronto! Don't be late. God-" the frantic voice of Riku greets him from the other side and Reo comes to a standstill in the middle of the aisle of a small convenience store, his surrounding going mute around him after he heard the fear in Riku's voice and him uttering the only name Reo didn't want him to utter.
Gina.
Reo wasn't a fool. He knew what would wait for him in the house when he reaches it even before the plastic basket full of sweets loosened from his grasp and fell. He knew nothing good would wait for him even as he bolted and barely managed to dodge the glass door only to come home to so much blood that he feared he was too late and she was lost forever.
***
"You're right. I don't want to hear about it. If you know then why are we even having this conversation?" I bring myself to the present and give him a look that hopefully showed my ideas quite well. Which was to never give a shit about something I couldn't control.
Riku's face was all resignation and sorrow.
Seriously, what the hell did he even see for it to affect him to this extent?
His body and face finally straightened from their hunched position and an isn't-two-years-of-blaming-yourself-enough expression to one of determination and scratch-plan-A-its-time-for-plan-B.
"Then, at least do me one favor," he speaks up, his eyes requesting for me to say yes. I sigh a deep sigh because how can I not? Yeah, I'm a big softie like that, deal with it.
"What," I croak out, more a statement than an inquiry but his eyes lit up nonetheless.
"Tell Hikaru not to book a hotel."
"And why, if you don't mind me asking, can't you ask him of that? I see nor a lack of tongue in your mouth- judging by the conversation you just had with me- and neither a lack of processor in that skull of your's as you're still quite coherent and not dribbling saliva all over my room," I shot back and he rolls his eyes (a sign that he wasn't appreciating my sarcasm at the moment) and scoffs a reply, "And do you really think he's gonna let go of means of luxury and booze and women to keep my request?"
"Depends on the other option for which he'll have to let go of the first," I lean back on my chair until it creaked from straining.
I stopped asking the whys behind Riku's whats a long time ago. Having a foreseer among you can be equal parts scary and frustrating. It's as if they're always one step ahead of you, knows everything. And somehow, they always knew the way for a better consequence of a situation. At least that's what staying with Riku and being his friend felt like. It gets quite irritating after a while, to be honest. But surprisingly, what I feel towards him isn't irritation and rather sympathy. I feel sad because the child Riku was supposed to be was forced to skip his childhood and grow up. All because God was happy with some ancestor of him ages ago and decided to reward whoever it was.
So, instead, I went for a different question, "Why me?"
"A beach house in a quiet neighborhood and you because I know Hikaru will not be able to hunt down the battery he's been whining for since he finished gorging down food," he gives me an award-winning smile and his twin dimples helped more in his cause.
Well, what can go wrong if I agree to it anyway?
…
"What do I get in return?" I give Hikaru the brightest grin I can manage when he finally succumbs and comes barreling into my room, demanding that I give it back to him.
"Anything except Perries, my first-born, my Rubik's cube, and my Assassins' Creed series," he gives me his ready-made answer within seconds making Riku laugh out loud. Hikaru had his practice, alright. He often found himself in these situations.
It was ten minutes later that I was leaving for my parents' country home with Hades and Perrie that he came out of his room, grumbling and pouting with all he's got.
"So, I'll meet you guys directly at the airport?" I ask them as I settle in the car with them and lock settle them up cozily. It was going to be a long journey for them.
"Come back in one piece, alright?" Riku waves and Hikaru grumbles under his breath," Feel free to not come at all."
With that, I was off.