The rest of Josef's trip to his father's house was built in silence. He occupied his self by staring in the windows, watching the passing cars and fooling his self that he felt glad on the different shops that he had saw—boutiques, pink cake shop and retro theme coffee shops.
Josef learned earlier that his father's house was in the north of the city near a downtown. He seemed optimistic when he told him about it, as if telling him about this downtown should also make him enthusiastic like he is. When his father noticed that he wasn't as optimistic as he is, his expression immediately changed to a sort of annoyed and indifferent one.
*Wow, that was fast.* Josef Wagner thought as he saw the annoyance in his face.
And now he spend the rest of the trip in quiet, an almost stiffling silence. He sighed, "how was your shop?"
He asked curiously. Josef know that his father has a shop but he didn't know much about it or what kind of shop it is. He wasn't really interested in his father after all. And Grandma Nita was sort of harboring a hatred towards this man on the left side of the taxi — she called him, "a lustful man who likes to stick his prick on every single woman that he met. Your mother was so unlucky."
Grandma Nita and his late daughter, Josef's mother claimed that they already know that it would happen. So his mother was ready to take responsibility and guide Josef. But unfortunately she died of childbirth.
Josef often wondered if what Nita was talking as the unlucky was him. Well, he didn't have the courage to ask about it. Just thinking that his life could be much worse was tiring and depressing and at the same it angers him.
There are often days when he is jealous and had almost cried for he felt that he lacked something inside him. But when he finally get to his senses, Josef would always felt anger towards that helpess and pitiful boy who was yearning for this man.
"My shop? It's a small open barbecue house that stood near the street market. We also sold beer," he said.
"Was it open twenty-four hours?" he asked. Almost all the shops near their school was like that. He like visiting those places especially the night market.
"Nah, we aren't. We closed at 11. But some months for now a night market would open near the downtown. I might perhaps tried to negotiate a space," he said. "If you're finding an all nighter there are some in the south part of the city."
Josef turned and was about to ask where it is, but he noticed a look on his father's eyes that he could recognize.
*Would I make the initiative?* He asked his self. But before Josef could even speak, his father spoke, "Josef... I would be much glad if you could help the family in running the store."
In his mind a memory played back, he was ten that time and was on his way home when he caught sight of a kid who was running straight for him. The kid probably didn't notice him as he was looking at the other boy who was chasing him. Josef just stood there waiting, knowing what could happen to him after the collision.
This situation where he is right now, is almost the same as the one he had before. He see it coming and still he waited for it to happen.
"What about school?" He asked.
"Of course, I'll also pay for it. You would be attending the school that my daughter and son was attending. His older by a year than you," he said with a kindly smile. But Josef felt horrible at this arrangement. And to his self for being horrified at his father's proposal.
"My senior then?" he said, unenthusiastic. His eyes wondered on the point on the back of his father head.
His father shook his head, "he wasn't as bright as you are."
"I'm not bright," he almost hissed. "I'm just, well... a so-so."
"If you're a so-so your brother is hopeless," he sighed with annoyance. "He failed last year, sort of."
Josef flinched at the mention of brother. *He was getting ahead of his self. I still haven't meet him and I'm still not adjusting to things here.*
He wondered why his father used *sort of* when in fact this son of him had failed without a doubt. His father looked directly at him, "I'll arrange for the two of you to be in the same class... so you could helped him. Don't worry his a good kid, it's just he was having a hard time in school."
Josef doubted if this son was a good kid. Regardless he asked, "what's his name? The other's too."
"Noah was the one who would be with you in the school. Lian was the name of my daughter and my wife, you could call her aunt Emilia," he said with a smile as he answered him. His father took his question as enthusiasm.
*Oh god, he got everything wrong. Im not as enthusiastic as you in this arrangement.*
Josef stayed silent as he stared at the imaginary blank he was seeing, he nodded. "That arrangement was fine. I would also love to work."
His father smiled giddily, "Don't worry I would also pay for the hours that you spent in the shops."
Josef forced a smiled before he turned to the window, back to the early stillnes that he find stiffling. But if he would be given a chance, he would just stay quiet and never asked that damn question. A sense of sadness and a feeling of not being wanted flared into him. He gritted his teeth.
*Too bad I even dared think that it wasn't convenient for him.*
---
Lucas' room was on the right side of the narrow hallway, almost facing the door to the bathroom. As soon as he shut the door closed he immediately felt relieved, and at the same time bad for rejecting his brother.
But his feeling of regret immediately vanished when he realized that he was inside his brother's house. Lucas was distrustful of Harris' skills in cleaning and organizing. And he was right to do so, after what he had saw outside. He immediately let his eyes roamed around on the room. Theres a bed with pillows and sheet on the left corner of the room, it was placed under the window. From the opaque glass he could see the light coming from the other house acrossed their appartment. There is also a small wooden desk with a small shelf with books on it. He moved towards the closet and opened it, it was clean of anything. He sighed as he started putting his clothes inside it.
To tell the truth, Lucas didn't brought many clothes with him. He picked the things that he really didn't like, he would just buy the stuff he need here. Bringing things that he once liked would trouble him in adjusting in this place.
Lucas stopped and let his hand grazed on the case of his violin. He wondered why he bring this thing with him. It wasn't as if he would play it. When it was announced that he would move here, he was already decided to left all mementos that would remind him of his past life. He put the violin in the bottom of the closet and locked it. He sat on the bed and allowed his self to fall face first on the bed sheet.
The smell of fabric entered his nose. "It's nice," his voice was muffled as he spoke against the blue sheet of the bed.
*Now what?* he asked his self as he lay down and stared at the ceiling.
*I should have just gone with Harris to watch that damn Netflix,* he thought hopelessly.
His mind wandered. He was thinking how they had made his brother agreed on this term. *I'm just an adopted son, and we had no any blood relation.*
Lucas was often thinking about those sort of things. How he was an adopted son and how lonely it is to know that thing. In recent years, he started thinking about Harris and why he was thrown out that time when Lucas was six. But Lucas didn't dare ask, because that's the time when Lucas started his 'dramatic rebellious phase' as his mother and father had quoted. He was left to wondered on those things alone. And the more he think about it, the more angry he become at his parents and to his mother for throwing his son out.
He turned as his phone suddenly gave a beep. It was a message from his friend Archer. He stared at it, he wasn't expecting him to contact him. Truth be told, Lucas thought that his bond with Archer wasn't true. After all it all started when Archer pleaded to him to have a peak on his exam paper in the upcoming test—so he could.pass that year.
Lucas find it interesting that he asked for Archer to kneel, bow and begged for his grace. When Archer agreed and do it, Lucas was surprised. He was left with no choice but to comply to his wish because who wouldn't? When a plebian beg to you passionately to help him, as a patrician or master you got no choice but to grant that request.
And then the test came smoothtly and Archer passed without trouble. He expected that this guy, after a period of bothering him and being good to him would finally left him alone. But to his annoyance, he wasn't.
Archer continued to stay with him, dragging him to places that he didn't know and didn't see before. And Lucas was thankful despite of Archer being an annoying plebian most of the time. He was still denying that he dislike his presence. And he was right to do so, because a patrician was not allowed to show favoritism on plebians.
He opened the message and read it.
Archer: how was the long lost brother?
Lucas: It was fine.
Archer: You have sin to me.
Lucas: I have not, plebian.
He typed, grinning.
Archer: I thought it was the week after. If I didn't come to check on you on your house I wouldn't even now.
Lucas: Why are you in the house?
Archer: Because it is Saturday! We're supposed to visit this food court that I set for that day.
Lucas: You didn't remind me of that.
Archer: No, I weren't because it's a responsibility.
Archer: You must pay.
Lucas: How?
Archer: Let me visit.
Lucas sighed, typed and retyped as he was thinking of a response. He didn't want Archer to visit him. No matter how much he denied, Archer was someone he holds dearly just like that violin inside his closet.
It's already depressing being thrown in this place, and seeing something that's part of his past would make matter much more complicated.
Lucas: No you can't, I pay you another way.
Archer: Give me a head.
Lucas: I'm not sucking you. I'm too smart for that.
Archer: Too condescending, okay I'll visit you.
Lucas: No, you're not.
Archer repeatedly send 'Please' to him. Lucas sighed and stared on the dark ceiling of his room, and at the old and stain green and white wallpapers. While his phone repeatedly buzzed, slowly getting closer and closer to him. He snatched it and call Archer.
"Okay, now stop," he shouted at his friend. A laughed reverberated on the other end of the line.
Archer breathe and said, "I knew it! I am your weakness."
Lucas froze and had almost throw the phone on the closet.
"Goodnight now Luc, I'm not bothering you anymore for this night not unless you weren't texting me your address."
When Lucas didn't respond his friend called to him once again.
"Yeah, the address," he said before dropping the call.