Reana stood frozen, her mind racing as the name echoed in her thoughts—Arcadia. She couldn't hide the shock in her expression.
Keith narrowed his eyes at her, crossing his arms as he leaned against the doorway of the dusty, rundown house. His white hair, similar to Shiro's, fell into his eyes, but there was something distinctly different about him. His demeanor was rough, guarded, as if the world around him had scarred him deeply.
Keith: "What's with the look? You gonna stand there or get lost already?"
Reana barely registered his question. She was still processing his resemblance to Shiro—the same sharp features, the same intensity in his eyes. But there was a weight to him that Shiro didn't carry. Where Shiro was composed and strategic, Keith seemed raw, almost reckless.
Reana: "You...you look like someone I know. Someone important."
Keith huffed in frustration, clearly uninterested in her reasons for being there. He pushed off the doorframe, waving a hand dismissively.
Keith: "Look, lady, I don't care if I look like your long-lost cousin or whatever. This is my house, and I want you gone. Now."
Reana: "Wait!" she shouted, stepping forward. She hesitated for a second before asking, "You said your name is Keith Arcadia. Have you...ever heard of a man named Shiro Arcadia?"
Keith's body visibly tensed at the mention of Shiro's name. His eyes darkened as his expression shifted from irritation to something colder, something more dangerous. He didn't answer right away, instead looking her up and down, evaluating her.
Keith: "Why the hell are you asking me about Shiro?"
Reana felt a wave of tension roll through her. This wasn't just some look-alike. Keith knew Shiro. Maybe not directly, but the connection was there, and now she was desperate to uncover the truth.
Reana: "I have to know. It's important. He's...he's someone I care about."
Keith let out a dark, humorless laugh, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.
Keith: "Yeah? Well, you shouldn't care about people like him. Trust me, you'd be better off not digging into this mess."
Reana's eyes widened further. There was bitterness in his tone, an unmistakable resentment.
Reana: "What do you mean by that? What mess?"
Keith turned his back to her, clearly done with the conversation, but Reana wasn't letting this go. She had to know more. Before she could ask again, he spoke.
Keith: "You should leave. If you're smart, you'll stop asking about Shiro and stay far away from him."
Reana: "I can't do that!" she blurted out, taking a step closer. "I know there's something you're not telling me. Why do you hate him so much? Who are you to him?"
Keith's hand hovered near the doorknob, but he didn't close the door. Instead, he stayed silent for a moment, the tension between them growing thicker.
Finally, he let out a long sigh, his voice low, almost a whisper.
Keith: "Shiro's my brother."
Reana gasped. She had suspected some connection, but this...this was something far more significant than she had imagined. The revelation hit her like a freight train.
Reana: "You're his...brother?"
Keith: "Yeah. Not that it matters now." He turned to face her again, and this time his gaze was hard, filled with years of anger and pain. "But if you're tied up with him, you're already in deep. Just like I was."
Reana felt the weight of his words pressing down on her, but she couldn't leave it there.
Reana: "Why...why haven't you two—"
Keith cut her off, his voice sharp and biting.
Keith: "Because we're not the same. We never were. Now, if you're done with the questions, you can get out of here before you get yourself killed. I'm not like Shiro, and I won't hesitate."
Reana took a step back, feeling the intensity in Keith's words. This was no idle threat. Whatever had happened between the brothers, it had left a deep scar on Keith, one that wouldn't be healed easily.
Before she left, she looked at him one last time, her mind racing with everything she had just learned. There were still so many questions, so many things left unanswered, but one thing was clear—Shiro and Keith shared a past that could change everything.
Reana: "I'm not giving up on this. I'll find out the truth, even if you won't tell me."
Keith didn't respond, just stood in the doorway, his face unreadable as she walked away.
---