The next day…
The curious eyes of Treyton and Yuki peeped through the narrow opening of Jacek's door. A uniform expression of thrill, curiosity and pity were evident on their faces as they shamelessly observed the heated drama premiering that early morning.
"You are not staying home today, I say! Get your lazy ass out of this house this second you goddamned bastard," Mrs. Adlerian yelled in fury.
An intrigued and shocked expressions appeared on the faces of the eavesdroppers in front the door upon Mrs. Adlerian's outburst. Their eyes shifted from her to Jacek, who stood before his mother in a rebellious stance.
"Does he have a death wish?" Treyton asked Yuki in a whisper. She reluctantly tore her eyes from the two to glance at him, a sly smile playing on tempting her lips.
"I don't suppose he does, if anything, he is confident to leave the room unscathed even after stirring mother so," Yuki explained quietly before looking back at the mother and son.
Jacek, his hand crossed over his lean chest, stared at his mother defiantly for cussing him out. "I am only a bastard if I am not my father's son, mother. Perhaps you speak of someone else, for this sturdy man before you, I can say, is not fatherless," Jacek retorted boldly.
Mrs. Adlerian scoffed, a look of contempt in her eyes. "Which father do you so proudly speak of? The drunk? The gambler? The shameless man? Oh Right! Is it the dead one?" Mrs. Adlerian spat without remorse or hesitation.
Jacek's eyes narrowed momentarily, then he raised a brow conceitedly and responded, "The very same. The man you fell in love with. The man you chose to have a child with. The man you defied your parents to marry. Yes, mother, I speak of my dead father, your beloved late husband."
Yuki and Treyton smacked their lips in shock at the dark turn of the argument.
Yuki was used to the pair having their banters turn brutal whenever her late father came up, since they both equally detested the man. Still, she was taken aback each time that brutality came up.
"Damn…" Treyton cussed.
"Damn indeed," Yuki seconded without a second thought.
When Treyton heard Yuki cuss after him, he looked down at her in surprise. An abrupt chuckled escaped his lips when he met her innocent gaze. His eyes narrowed affectionately at the dainty girl that his towering frame casted a shadow over.
For a moment, Yuki forgot the dramatic pair that stood inside the room and found herself drawn in by Treyton's intense gaze. Her face turned pink while her mouth sat slightly open as she looked up at the man's face. She was already aware that Treyton was handsome, but her mind was always drawn more to his physique than his face, after all, his body was no joke!
Nonetheless, now that Yuki could see his face closely when he did not seem to have any control of his expressions, she could only believe that his attractiveness was almost too much.
"What a lovely sight to behold when I am having an affectionate discussion with my very affectionate mother… how very lovely!" Jacek commented caustically when he noticed Treyton and Yuki's lovey-dovey behaviors.
Treyton and Yuki averted their eyes from each other after hearing Jacek's voice. They both looked back into the room to find Jacek staring at them contemptuously, while Mrs. Adlerian eyed them with a loving and a pleased expression.
"A very lovely sight indeed, son," Mrs. Adlerian agreed with her son's comment in contentment. A satisfied smile lingered on her lips as she continued to look at Yuki and Treyton who were both bright red from embarrassment.
Jacek glared at his mother from the corner of his eyes before his face morphed into a deeper frown. Without uttering another word, he turned towards the bathroom to go and bathe for work. In his mind, Jacek thought it was much better to leave for the shop than be surrounded by his mother's taunts and the stomach-turning sight of the two lovebirds!
"Have you finally decided to leave for work?" Mrs. Adlerian shouted after her son, her tone and expression projecting her joyous triumph.
"I am going to my father's grave to grieve over the bad luck I share with him for being surrounded by treacherous women… and in case I wasn't clear enough, I will grieve over the kind of mother and daughter he let me to look after!"
…
While Mrs. Adlerian, Yuki and Treyton sat in the living room in a tranquil ambience, Jacek emerged from his room with pursed lips. He had readied himself to leave for the shop when he came out. As he made his way out of the house without regarding any of the three who gawked at him, Jacek was visibly annoyed.
Jacek's entire body emitted an aura that made his anger very much apparent. His jaw was clenched, and his teeth gritted, as if he was biting back a torrent of venomous words. As he passed the three, Jacek's eyes flashed with anger, his gaze burning with a fierce intensity, as if he dared someone to speak to him.
Although everyone else took Jacek's anger as a trifling matter, only Yuki was uncomfortable about her brother's distant attitude as he made his way to the door that lead outside. As soon as he left the house, Yuki rose and hurried after him, a bag containing his lunch in hand.
"Wait, Jacek," Yuki called after her brother while rushing after him. Despite her audibility, Jacek did not as much as spare her a glance. His attitude, as well as the heavy and foreboding feeling in her heart caused Yuki to panic.
"Jacek!" she called again, her strides progressing to desperate jogs.
"Jacek!" Yuki called once more, louder and pleadingly this time. Her little feet stamped the ground desperately.
"My goodness! Yuki, why are you barefooted?" Mrs. Adlerian shouted after the girl when she emerged from the house to see Yuki chasing Jacek without any shoes.
After hearing his mother, Jacek swiftly turned to look at Yuki's feet in order to confirm his mother's words. Truly, she was barefooted. When he lifted his eyes from her feet to look at her face, Jacek halted abruptly.
It was one of those rare moments when his mature and composed sister acted out of character. But this time his Yuki looked so desperate; she looked like she was about to cry. Jacek regretted his actions immediately. Without waiting for her to catch up, Jacek returned to his sister's side and quickly swept her off her feet. Afterwards, he walked back to their house and set Yuki down on the balcony.
Then, Jacek stooped and stroked Yuki's face gently. To his surprise, Yuki clutched his hand and rubbed her flawless face in his palm. Jacek's eyes widened from Yuki's strange behavior; he noticed his mother appear as surprised as he from the corner of his eyes.
"Yuki, is there something bothering you?" Jacek asked eagerly.
Yuki looked up at Jacek with an anxious expression, her lips parted to say something, but closed again hesitantly. "Don't be angry at me…"
Jacek paused, although he was sure there was more to his sister's attitude than the reason she muttered, he could not bring himself to coax it out of her because their mother was standing right beside them. Regardless, hearing her express her fear of his anger made Jacek even more remorseful for ignoring her.
Jacek gently drew Yuki close and embraced her. "Forgive me, Yuki. I was merely sulking, I wasn't seriously angry," Jacek muttered softly while rubbing his sister's back. "I am sorry," he apologized again.
After Yuki finally calmed down and regained her composure, she handed Jacek's lunch to him.
Jacek received the meal and planted a tender kiss atop his sister's head. Then, when he noticed the subtle look of envy in his mother's eyes, Jacek neared her and kissed her cheek as well.
"There is no need to cry over a kiss, widow," Jacek stated with a smile.
Mrs. Adlerian narrowed her eyes at him, fixed his crooked collar and returned his kiss. "Learn to be respectful to me, I am the reason you are not yet an orphan, you brat!"
"You offend me mother, you are the woman of my heart, how can I ever disrespect you?" Jacek uttered while feigning offense.
Yuki laughed at the exchange between the two. "You should really get going now or you will have to walk to the town square," Yuki reasoned.
Merely imagining how long he would walk from Stolz to the square was enough encouragement for Jacek to decide to leave the house as soon as possible. He bid his goodbyes to the two most important women in his life and proceeded to leave.
"Come back early, Jacek. I will be waiting," Yuki uttered with a stern expression as Jacek left the balcony.
Jacek glanced at his sister and smiled brightly, "Yes, milady!"