Chereads / WOW! NEVER WILL SEE ANY ONE LIKE HIM. / Chapter 21 - Chapter 20: The Hyoza Family

Chapter 21 - Chapter 20: The Hyoza Family

Rei woke up to find a perfectly tailored pair of clothes waiting for him. After taking a shower and putting them on, he couldn't help but admire how good they looked on him. As he gazed at himself in the mirror, appreciating the craftsmanship, Koji walked in and said "Oh, you fancy it? Well, I'll have to get you more suits then," Rei teased with a chuckle "But remember, garments mean nothing without love," playfully, making Koji blush and change the subject. "Let's head down for dinner. Alexis is already there," he said, trying to divert the attention. Rei descended the stairs effortlessly, gracefully taking a seat at the table. His keen eyes caught Shuji and Alexis in close proximity, yet an undeniable awkward tension lingered between them. Shuji muttered a quick "sorry," to which Alexis replied, "yeah, it's fine. You got me a new pair of clothes. We're even." A chuckle escaped Shuji's lips as Alexis shifted his gaze from him to his food. The trio ate in silence until Koji broke the ice with, "the game will be released tomorrow." Curious, Alexis inquired, "what is tomorrow?" Rei, suddenly remembering, announced, "Saturday. Oh, and one more thing - my brother will be arriving." Alexis was positively beaming with anticipation as he prepared to meet his older adoptive brother.

Shuji and Koji were slightly surprised by the unexpected arrival of his brother, realizing they had never delved into the topic of family with Alexis or Rei, nor shared details about their own backgrounds. Shuji declared, "I happen to be the second son, Koji is the third. We also have a younger sister and an older brother. Interestingly, she is our half sister. Our mother passed away when Koji was just 1. Our stepmother never bothered to inform us about her previous family." Alexis responded, "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Koji added, "Our older brother is an artist. He left for America when he turned 20, claiming he wanted no part of the family fortune. Surprisingly, we still keep in touch with him. We even had the chance to meet him last month." Rei disclosed, "My older brother is 3 years older than me." Shuji chuckled and remarked, "Did puberty hit you late?" before realizing his mistake. Rei demanded, "What the hell?" as Shuji nervously chuckled. Rei then asked, "You read it, didn't you?" Shuji admitted, "It was only an accident, though you looked really cute when you were young." Rei screamed, "You didn't read every single thing, did you?" Shuji confessed, "Yeah, even the part where you... peed your pants when you were 10? Yep." Rei gnashed his teeth and gave Shuji the death stare. "Do you have a death wish? If you don't, then shut up about my life," he said. Shuji continued, "I mean, he looked like 16 and you looked 10. But actually, you were 12 and he was 15? How was I supposed to believe that? You were so skinny and short!" Rei rolled his eyes and remarked, "Let's see those childhood photos of yours. Were you in a rush to grow up? Bragging about yourself? The nerve!" Shuji shot him a fierce look, silently challenging him with his eyes. He nudged Koji, who caught on and made his way up the stairs. Chuckling at his older brother's antics, Koji returned a few minutes later with a weathered album in hand. Placing it on the table for everyone to see, Rei took a quick glance before feigning disinterest. "That's nothing. You look like an average kid with good genes and silky hair," he commented dismissively. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn back to the album. "Hold on. Is your natural hair color pink?" Rei pointed to a baby picture of Shuji. "Yeah, every time I dye it, I end up bleaching it again," Shuji replied nonchalantly. Rei exclaimed, "Isn't it just too coincidental?" Shuji, puzzled, inquired, "What's so coincidental?" Rei replied, "My natural hair color isn't brown." Shuji questioned, "Then how did you dye it so flawlessly?" Rei retorted, "It's called skill, you fool!" as he smoothed his hair. Shuji rolled his eyes as Alexis chimed in, "So what is your natural hair color then? And why didn't I know this crucial detail even after living with you for 5 years?" Rei declared, "It's silver," causing Koji to maintain a surprised expression. Shuji retorted, "Stop kidding around. I saw that childhood photo of yours, and your hair was black in it." Rei nonchalantly responded, "Obviously. My parents didn't want anyone to see my hair." Shuji rolled his eyes and retorted, "Oh, please." Rei simply replied, "Alright. Do you happen to have any bleach?" Koji confidently stated, "Of course we do," and promptly instructed a nearby servant to fetch it. Once in possession of the bleach, Rei gracefully made his way to the sink, dipped his head in, and expertly transformed his bangs and hair into a stunning shade of silver. Truly, it was a heavenly sight to behold. He appeared as though he had descended straight from the heavens above. Shuji couldn't help but sneak glances at Rei's nearly perfect hair, but he refused to acknowledge it. Alexis laughed, knowing that Shuji and Rei didn't get along, but found it all too immature. Koji also couldn't help but smirk at his brother's childish behavior. Rei simply ignored them all.