My name is Raphael Percando, I am always in charge of taking care of my father's business's in his absence, and now that he has extended his stay in the capital it only means I have to be at Percando's to oversee things. Father decided to wait until mother's health gets better so that she can return with him and my sister.
I have two little sisters that I love and care for. I have always been very close to my sister, Lilyanne but my youngest sister is a lost cause. We never had a relationship but after her débutante I decided to try since Lily begged me to, and it's impossible for me to say no to her. Rose scares me a little not just because she's rude, she does absurd things that are just impossible for me to comprehend.
"Raph, you have to try she's also your sister," Lily scolded.
"I know, but I'm not really… she's scary and distant and… I don't know," I sighed.
"Fine, then why don't you ask her to go out with you so you can talk and get to know each other," she advised, and I nodded in agreement.
"I'm not trying to court her," I stated and Lily started laughing. "So how do I go about it?" I asked but I really didn't want to.
We went to meet Rose the next day, but things turned out just how I thought it would. She really doesn't give people a chance, it's annoying.
"A bit what?" Rose asked after Lily had said what she wasn't supposed to, I don't really blame her. Rose was scaring her and Lily has never been good at lying.
"n… nothing," Lily said looking nervous.
"Just tell me, Lily," Rose said with a sinister smile.
"O… okay," Lily said giving in.
"Lily," I called before things got anymore out of hand. "It's nothing, well, I tried," I said and turned to leave but stopped when Rose said,
"You walk into my room unannounced, interrupt me from a very interesting book, annoy me, and won't even answer a simple question?" she looked furious, but that was least of my concerns. "Huh, big brother?" her tone was scary, but I didn't have the time or the energy to be scared. I turned and glared at her because I was starting to feel annoyed, she really doesn't give people a chance.
"That's more like it, to this is our relationship," she gestured at the space between us. "Let's stop pretending to be nice," she continued. "I'm a bit what, Raphael?"
"What do you mean, sister?" I asked with a stern voice.
"Oh, playing dumb. Okay, forget it, then," she said, smiled and curtsied, saying,
"Farewell, Sir Raphael. I wish you a safe journey, if you'd excuse," she said and walked out leaving us in the room. Is she trying to make us feel guilty ? She's the one always pushing everyone away when we didn't do anything to warrant that.
"How did things end up like this?" I asked but Lily was gone too.
I went to my study to get some work done and clear my mind and it worked. Few hours later I decided to take a break and go to bed because it was really late. I saw one of Rose's personal maid speaking to Lily, she looked agitated and worried, so I approached them.
"What's wrong?" I asked as I got closer. Lily looked down contemplating nervously. "What's wrong?" I shouted, but I didn't mean to, I guess I'm still stressed from what happened earlier. The way she flinched made my heart to melt, I didn't mean to frighten Lily. "I'm sorry, it's just that you look nervous, so I'm worried," I explained so she won't get the wrong idea. Lily still didn't respond, so I asked the maid. "What happened?"
"Lady Rose is missing," the maid said.
"She walked to the forest after the argument in the room, I tried talking to her, but she won't listen," Lily said. Does she ever listen to anyone?
"We waited for a while hoping she'd return but its almost midnight, and she still hasn't returned. What if something happened to her?" is this maid worried? She's just a maid, why would she care?
I left them standing there and walked straight to the forest, why does she do this? Rose doesn't know that place, it's not somewhere to be in alone, of all places to go to why the forest?
I saw her sleeping under a tree and picked her up carrying her on my back, she looked as if she had been crying. Was she that angry? I took her to her room and dropped her on her bed, she opened her eyes and rubbed it.
"Go back to sleep," I said quietly.
"Ra…" she must be soared from all the crying, why was she crying? I turned to leave but paused when I heard something unexpected. "Thank you."
…
I sat with Lily for brunch and chatting with her, I couldn't wrap my head around what I saw yesterday so I decided to let it go. Rose walked in on us acting like she didn't cry herself to sleep in the forest yesterday.
"Good afternoon, siblings," she said smiling.
"Good afternoon to you, sister," I said. "Are you feeling better?" I asked, concerned.
"I am," she said still smiling. "I thought about what happened yesterday, I should apologize,"she started. "I am sorry if I irritated you, you wanted to spend time together? I'm cool… I mean, I'm fine with that," she continued. "As for what happened yesterday it won't repeat itself, Lady Lilyanne, Sir Raphael," Rose said standing up to courtesy. Lilyanne tsked and we both turned to look at her. "What's on your mind, sister?" Rose asking raising her cup to take a sip. I know Rose must have said something mean to Lily yesterday, but she knows better than to start something.
"Nothing," Lily sighed.
"No, speak your mind," Rose said with a smirk. Why does she do it?
"You are acting worse than before," she stated. That's true.
"Really?" Rose said like she couldn't comprehend what Lily was saying, but I'm sure she did.
"Yes, it's like you are pushing us away even more now," she finished.
"Sylph," I warned, not wanting any more trouble.
"Oh that's true, that's what I'm doing. I will do what you ask of me, but don't expect more than that, don't get in my space again," she warned and grabbed two scones from the table. "Please inform me when you're ready." Rose is scary and distant.