Chapter 1: A useless young master died

"The day I died I remember seeing nothing but a white ceiling."

He remembered the soft feeling of the bed and the fresh wind coming from the open window. His body was cold, he felt as if the sheets weren't there. The sweat on his hand and his heart beating stronger by the second made him realize he wasn't dreaming. His body was getting colder and he suddenly felt a sharp pain in the chest.

What did I do wrong? At what moment did I make a mistake? I was a good person, I never did anything wrong. Why did this happen to me? Life is unfair. Unfaaair-

His body lost its strength and he couldn't move. All he could feel was pain all over his body. He heard the nurses entering the room, but it was useless, he knew he was about to die. Then all went dark.

My eyes exploded or something? Ahh, it's useless. I'm going to die, am I not?

The sound of his heartbeat was beating louder by the second, soon he couldn't hear anything, but it. Then all his life passed in a second. He knew he was dying. Dying with the memories of his life.

"Today I want to just rest, can I?"

"No, young master, you have piano classes, and after that, you have classes with the teacher Leo."

"But it's boring, let me rest for today, pleaseee."

"Definitely no."

He remembered his maid. What was her name again? He never liked that bossy maid. He couldn't get rid of that maid, because she was assigned by her mother, but he hated her. She was always by his side watching him.

Before passing away, I will forgive you.

"I am better than you, poor and dirty commoner. Get out of my sight."

"I-I'm so sorry, sir."

"You are just trash."

"I'm sorry, please, forgive me."

Mmm, why did that memory appear? That guy looked for a fight himself. He tried to protect the girl that got his suit dirty. After he realized his father worked in one of his companies he apologized, but it was useless. His father was fired and banned from all his companies. The girl? She had to work as his maid to pay for his suit.

I forgot about her. Does she still work in the house?

"Big brother, let's go to our beach house this summer."

"Okay, tell mother and I will ask father, let's go all of us."

"Yes! You are the best!"

That memory was better, did we go to the beach house at the end? I don't remember. His little sister always was aloof after our father died. If he ordered her something she would obey in silence, she never opened to him. Why? He didn't understand until now. Even at the doors of death, he didn't understand his little sister. That was maybe his only regret.

She should be the next head. She is better than me, she will be fine.

"I am the master of this house! My father just had fun with your mother, don't think we are the same."

"I-"

"Do you dare to talk back?"

*slap*

Ah, that guy was living with us too. He was annoying. I don't even want to remember him. He was never a brother to me. Son of a maid and his father, he was just a joke to the family. He was magnanimous and let him live with the servants.

I should have killed him. He is lucky I did not do it.

"Your father died."

"Eh? He died?"

"You will become the family head."

He remembered his mother smiling when she said that. He had never seen her smile before that. His mother used to be cold toward him, but after his father died, his mother smiled more. He was happy about her smiling more. Maybe she killed him? He didn't want to think about it. Even so, he somehow knew, maybe it was like that.

I'm going to die young, I am just twenty-three. Too young. Poor me. Ah, death. Sweet death. Lord of death, please receive the handsome me, I'm like the sweetness of peaches and apples.

He was so calm remembering his life. His last moments looked like an eternity for him. He thought that he could just die calmly, without despairing, but then an overwhelmed fear took over his mind. His emotions fluctuated uncontrollably and his body trembled with absolute fear.

Nooooooo, I don't want to die, not yet. I-I can't die like this. I can't. I-Life is so unfaiir, why me? Why couldn't be another person? I am great, shouldn't I live more than others? I don't want to die. I don't want to die. I don-

***

The young master of the Vermillion house was known for being the less talented in the family. Even so, he didn't have any resistance to taking over the family, and that was because the Vermillion were known for their overbearing pride and talent.

They preferred to obtain power by their own means, without the help of the family, and every member of the family obtained an incredible talent in something. For example, her sister was very talented at observing and analyzing people, and one of his cousins had a great talent for cooking. They thought that having a useless family head wouldn't affect them at all. The Vermillion's pride rested on their individual talents, after all.

His lack of abilities and accomplishments gained the despise of his family. His death was completely ignored. His sickness made him be despised and taken as someone weak and useless.

The only ones who worried about his death were the media, who seized the opportunity and used it as a smokescreen for other affairs.

Soon the sister became the head of the house and nobody talked about the last master. Soon he was completely forgotten.

But nobody knew that there was someone that did care about him.

***

With a hair as red as blood, a girl walked lonely to the cemetery.

She looked at one grave.

Alexander Vermillion

Thirty-fourth Master of the Vermillion Family

July 6, 3604- November 15, 3627

At the side of his grave was the one of her father.

"Useless, weak, idiot."

"I took care of our mother. Now I am alone. I will bear the responsibility of the head and continue our traditions. Goodbye, brother."

She clenched her fist tightly and her eyes moistened. She tried to be strong in front of him, but tears started forming.

"Brother"

Her knees lost their strength and she fell.

"Brother, brotheeeer!"

The moon was bathing her with its warm light consoling her for her loss.

***

In the dark and indifferent night

when stars appear in the sky

and the pain of the dead spreads to life

The cool moon sheds light upon the graves

The sad and painful cry of a woman is heard

Pitiful girl, ghosts said, but they know

The wound will heal with time

nor life, nor pain, will forever live.

***

Today died just another person.