After having a meeting with the other members of the Cadet Force, Evan Livares went to the main office of the Cadet Force which was located a few kilometers away from school.
As Colin suggested, he went there with Hannah and took care of some matters apart from meeting the Commanding Officer who was an Army Colonel. After spending around an hour there, he drove his motorbike and dropped Hannah home before finally driving back home.
As his mother was a doctor, she can't come home early all the time and Evan understood that his mother will be late when he saw a housemaid in the kitchen and not his mother. The housemaid was a woman in his 40s and she had worked for them for a few years now.
Whenever his mother came home early, she would always cook herself and let the maid work on something else. Evan had once asked his mother why she always insist to cook despite how tired she was due to work. His mother said to him that being able to cook for the family gave her joy.
Since then, Evan always helped his mother in cooking, and even when the latter wasn't home, he used to cook for his sister often.
He always felt blessed to be a part of this loving family.
"You're home? Are you tired?" The housemaid, Mrs. Stewart promptly asked Evan when she saw him quietly standing near the entrance of the kitchen.
Being snapped out of his stupor, Evan Livares quickly shook his head. "Do you need any help, Mrs. Stewart?"
Mrs. Stewart flashed a friendly smile when she heard Evan. "I think your sister needs you more. She has been waiting for you to come home."
"Emily did?" Evan looked up at the upper floor where he and his sister's room were located. Then he turned back to Mrs. Stewart. "I will go up and check on her."
The housemaid nodded with a calm smile on her face and continued whatever she was doing while Evan walked upstairs.
*
Walking inside his sister's room, Evan noticed Emily who was struggling over a few Maths problems. At the sight of his sister's frustrated face as she tried to solve the questions, Evan Livares can't help but smile. It was at that moment that Emily noticed him.
"You're finally home. I was waiting for you like forever!" Emily Livares exclaimed in her usual loud voice. "Help me with this," she promptly said as she offered the Maths textbook to her brother.
Evan Livares simply smiled and pulled another chair towards his sister and sat there. Then he helped her with the questions while explaining them to her so that she would be able to solve them on her own later.
Staring at all the problems that were now solved, Emily remained quiet for a while and then looked at her brother. "Evan, did you have trouble solving these while you were my age?"
Feeling amused by the question that his 12-year-old sister asked him, Evan Livares smiled and shook his head. "No. Why?"
Emily narrowed her eyes when she heard her older brother. "I'm not smart like you or our parents. I wonder who I take after," she mumbled. Unlike her usual self, she sounded so downhearted that it concerned Evan.
"Why are you saying that? Didn't you always come first in your class?"
"I don't really like studying," Emily sighed. "People say that Dad is the best Military Officer in our country and that Mom is one of the best psychiatrists out there. You are also perfect just like them but... I'm not good at anything," Emily Livares explained in the same downhearted voice.
"I even wonder if I'm really their daughter." She looked at her brother and cautiously asked, "Do you think I'm adopted?"
Evan Livares's face turned pale at the unexpected question. "Adopted? That's absurd, Emily. I was with Mom in the hospital the day she gave birth to you."
"Really?"
Evan nodded. "Why would I lie to you?"
He waited for a while but when Emily didn't say anything, he let out a sigh and caressed her hair. "You think too much, Emily."
"You're good at everything, brother," Emily frowned. "You went to my school and all the teachers know you. You're good at studies and everything else." She sighed and added, "I don't really like studying. I don't even understand what the teachers taught me. I'm just good at memorizing them and that's why I come first."
Despite what his sister said, Evan failed to fight back a chuckle, making Emily frown even harder.
"Am I that funny?" she asked, annoyed.
"You sound and look so cute when you talked about studying," Evan honestly stated. "At least, you care about it. Even if you don't like studying, you can just find something you like later and focus on that."
"But... won't that ruin our Mom and Dad's reputation?"
Evan sighed and helplessly shook his head. "Does Mom and Dad ever pressure us just for that? They want us to be happy, Emily. Once you grow up, I'm sure that they will support you whatever path you choose."
Emily's face brightened up but... in a split second, her smile faded again. Then she frowned. "Why are you so mature, Evan? My friend in school has an older brother who is the same as you. But she says that her brother is so inconsiderate and that he bullies her all the time."
The calm smile that Evan wore slipped a bit and he narrowed his eyes. Nevertheless, he looked up and flashed a smile once again. "Are you saying that I'm considerate?"
"If you're not, then who would be?" Emily chanted as if it was a mantra and it earned her a chuckle from Evan.
"Let's just say that our parents teach us well," he shrugged. "Think about it. Will Mom and Dad let me bully you?"
Emily promptly shook her head and with a burst of laughter, she said, "I think I'm the one who bullies you. I order you around all the time."
"But I don't mind and that means it is not bullying," Evan replied with a laugh. Then he pulled the Maths textbook closer to his sister. "You should try solving by yourself this time," he said to her. "Give a try and if you have a problem, I will help you."