46 - Chp 045: His Brother

Ivory's POV

A month has passed since Crimson left. Rogue and I have already broken up. I found out what she was actually like with the help of Teal. I don't regret breaking up with her, but I do regret believing her words over Crimson's.

I started a part time job at a convenience store near our house. I wanted to help with our family expenses in any way I can. It's not easy for my parents to raise three kids.

"Mom! Dad!" I called out to them as I put my shoes on. "I'm going!"

"Take care!" My mom replied from the kitchen. 

I opened the door, but then I heard my younger siblings call for me. "Ivory!!!"

I turned around and saw the twins, still in their pajamas, running towards me. "Lion, Daisy, didn't I tell you not to run inside the house?" I scolded them. The twins are a lot younger than me. They're still in third grade. Lion is the male twin while Daisy is the female. Lion's real name is Dandelion, but he hates being called that since he sees it a girl's name, so we just decided to give him a nickname. 

Daisy smiled wide, her fang-like teeth were showing. It's scary how we all looked too much like each other. "Will big brother be home tonight?" She asked. 

I patted her head. "Of course." I replied. "Do you want anything when I get back?"

"Cookies!" Lion answered. 

"Don't spoil them, Ivory!" My mom shouted. 

I chuckled. "Just don't tell mom anything."

They nodded and I finally left the house. 

I got to the convenience store and immediately changed into my uniform. I headed to the desk with the cash register and waited there for people to buy stuff. 

The store door opened, and a boy with a deadass good-looking face entered. He was wearing corporate attire clothes. Something that nobody would wear to go to a convenience store. His hair was in a hairstyle fitted for a corporate setting, and again, it wouldn't be a look a normal person going to a convenience store would be in. I looked outside and saw a limousine waiting for him. I guess he's one of those spoiled rich brats. 

The boy approached me and I saw his deep ocean blue eyes. It looked like he recently just cried. "Do you have any cigarettes?" He asked. 

I snapped back into reality and replied. "Oh, sorry. We don't sell those to minors." He was probably the same age as me. 

He looked pissed and took out a huge bill from his wallet. "I can pay you how much you want. Just give me a fucking cigarette."

The store doors opened again and we both looked towards the door. A huge man in corporate attire walked in. "Cyan, we have to go. Your mother is growing impatient." He said. So this guy's name is Cyan... 

He looked at me, still with a pissed expression. "Alright, father." He replied as he put the money back in his wallet and walked away.

"Did you not get what you wanted to buy?" His father asked. 

Cyan turned around and looked at me. He smiled and said. "They didn't have what I wanted here, father."

The two then proceeded to walk out the store and drive away. That Cyan boy's face kinda reminds me of Teal. 

The day went on until my shift ended. I went to the back to change my clothes and get my things. I took my phone out of the locker and opened it. I had 8 missed calls from Carnation. 

"What is it?" I texted. "Why'd you call?" No reply. Well, people don't really reply immediately so it's understandable. 

I finally arrived home and opened the door. "I'm back!" I exclaimed, but there was no answer. 

I went to the kitchen, and there was some food and a note on the table. I placed the cookies on the table and read the note. It said "We went out to buy some stuff for the twins. We'll try to get home as fast we can. There's some dinner on the table." Guess I'm eating dinner alone then. 

A few minutes later, while I was eating, my phone started to ring like crazy. I checked it, and it was Carnation. Couldn't she have just texted me? 

*click*

"Hello?" I asked as I answered the call. I could hear her crying on the other end. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Ivory, it's about Teal..." She explained, still crying. 

At that moment, my heart dropped. Teal got into an accident while on his part-time job delivering parcels. He was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late...

I dropped my phone and suddenly lost my appetite. I felt sick. I felt so sick that I needed to throw up. Why? Why did this have to happen. 

I picked my phone back up. "Ivory? Ivory!" Carnation exclaimed. "What's happening there?!"

"I-I'm sorry." I apologized. "I dropped my phone."

"Right... Teal's wake is tomorrow. Kuro and I are going. Do you wanna come with us too?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

"The wake's gonna be at their family home. We'll swing by your house around 8 so we can go together."

"Sure."

"I'm sorry for dropping this bomb on you, Ivory. Have a good night."

"Thanks... You too..."

*click*

I headed upstairs to my room and took a shower. Just as I finished, I could hear the door downstairs creak open. Everybody must've arrived. I put on a change of clothes as I grabbed a towel and ran downstairs.

"Mom? Dad?" I called to them by the stairs. 

"Yes, dear?" My mom answered.

"Nothing. I just wanted to check if it was you guys."

I heard footsteps rushing towards me and saw the twins with cookies in their mouths. They've always been messy eaters. Good thing I bought soft cookies for less crumbs. 

"You two, take a bath and get changed." I told them. 

They looked at me and nodded as they ran upstairs, passing me. I headed back to my room and lied down on my bed, eventually falling asleep. 

The next morning, my alarm woke me up. It was 4am. I got up and headed downstairs to prepare some breakfast for the whole family. After preparing their meals, I went to my parents' room and opened the door. 

"Mom, dad, get up. You still have work today." I said as I closed the door and ran back downstairs, removing my apron.

I sat down and swiftly ate my meal. I ran upstairs, passing my parents that were walking down. "Ivory, why are you in such a hurry?" My dad asked as I stopped. 

"I'm going out." I replied. "My friends are coming by around 8 to pick me up."

My dad looked at my mom. As a response, she nodded. He looked back at me and said. "Just be careful, okay? I heard of a terrible accident that happened just recently to a young boy."

"Poor thing." My mom added. "He was so young."

It makes me sick that I know who they're talking about. "Alright. See you." I said as I proceeded to head upstairs. I looked at the clock in my room. It was 5am. 

I took off my clothes and went inside the bathroom to take bath. It usually takes me at least an hour in the bathroom. A boy's gotta look good all the time. 

After my bath, I looked at the clock again. It was 6:30am. I put on some clothes, a black button-down polo shirt and some black pants. I grabbed a piercing on my desk and put it on my right ear. I grabbed my black shoes from under my bed and wore that too. I really looked like I was going to a funeral.

I checked my clock again for the fourth time. It was 7:15am. I guess being early is better than being late.

I turned my computer on to check my emails. Still no respone from Crimson. I've sent countless emails to him, but I guess he must've changed it. I killed some time playing some online games, until my phone rang. It was Kuro. 

*click*

"Hello?" I answered. 

"Hey, we're almost there." Kuro replied. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah. Take care."

"Thanks."

*click*

I turned the computer off, grabbed my bag, and headed downstairs. I walked into the dining room and saw the whole family was awake. The twins saw me and immediately ran towards me to give me hugs. 

"Why do you look so handsome?" My mom asked. 

"And why are you wearing all black?" My dad added. 

"I-"

*ding dong*

The doorbell interrupted me. 

"That must be my friends." I explained. "I'll see you guys later. Bye!" I said as I let the twins go and headed to the door to open it. 

I opened the door and saw Carnation, in a black dress, and Kuro, in a black long-sleeved polo. "Are you ready to go?" Kuro asked. 

"Yeah." I answered. 

The trip to Teal's family home was silent. I guess we all felt awkward after being apart for so long. Well, I guess I was the only one that was separated from them. Kuro and Carnation go to the same college, so I'm sure they didn't grow distant. 

We stopped in front of a huge black gate. We looked at each other, confused. The house was huge. It was a mansion. It was an actual fucking mansion. It was way different than the apartment he lived in. We had no fucking idea he was this rich. 

"Um, Carnation?" Kuro called her. "Are you sure we've got the right house?"

"This is the address his brother sent me." She replied. "But I'm not really sure..."

Suddenly, the gate opened. We were greeted by an old maid. "Hello there." She said. "Are you perhaps here for the young master's wake?"

"Um, is this Teal Relinquere's house?" Carnation asked.

"Yes. Are you friends of his?"

"Yeah." Kuro replied. "We're his old bandmates."

"I see... If you could follow me..." The maid said as she gestured for us to follow. 

We were guided around the mansion and into the garden. This place has a fucking humongous garden. How extra can they be?

The garden had a roof over it, but it wasn't a greenhouse. At the middle of it was the coffin with Teal's body inside. We walked up to it and saw his lifeless body. He looked so peaceful... It hurt to see him like that. I could hear Carnation cry as she hugged Kuro. I wanted to cry too... I wanted to scream... I lost my best friend, and now I lost a precious friend too. 

I looked around and saw most of the guests on their phones, either calling somebody or probably texting. Aren't they aware there's a dead body here? The nerve of some people. 

"Hey, Ivory." Kuro called me. "We're just gonna walk around for a bit. You gonna be okay here by yourself?"

"Y-yeah. I'll stay here..." I replied as the two of them walked away.

I guess Carnation found out about Teal's death through his brother. How do they even know each other? Did they meet after the band break up? Well, whatever. I'd like to meet him though... It must be hard on him to lose his brother. I don't know what I'd do if I lost one of the twins. 

I looked around and saw a gazebo near where I was. I approached the old maid that guided us earlier. "Are guests allowed to walk around the garden?" I asked. 

"It depends on where you intend to go." She answered. 

"That gazebo." I said as I pointed at it. 

"It's okay. Would you like me to walk you there?"

"I-I'm fine. Thanks for the offer though."

I walked to the gazebo and saw a boy's back. It's strange, but he seemed familiar. Mutliple people saw him, but didn't actually pay attention to him. It was like he was invisible. What if he was a ghost? That would be creepy as hell. 

I walked up to him and asked. "Hey, would you mind if I sat here?"

The boy turned around, and he was the same boy that I met at the convenience store, the one that came out of the limo. He was still wearing a coat and tie, but it was a different set. His hair was messier, and he was wearing glasses this time. His eyes were of different colors. One of them was light blue, and the other one was purple. It was hypnotizing to look at. 

He smiled. "I don't mind at all." He replied. 

"Thanks." I said as I sat down in front of him. 

"Have we met before?" He asked. "Weren't you the guy working at the convenience store?"

"Y-yeah." I replied. "Sorry, I couldn't sell you those cigarettes."

"It's fine. I apologize for acting that way. I was a bit on edge."

"It's really no problem..."

It suddenly became quiet. It was like the world had paused. It was an uncomfortable silence.

"So, you know Teal?" The boy asked. 

"Yeah." I replied. "I was in the same band as him before. I came here with two other members."

"And what's your name?"

"Ivory Lamentar. Call me Ivory."

"Ivory, huh? My name's Cyan Relinquere."

"Relinquere?"

"I'm his brother."

"What?? You are? He used to talk about you a lot."

"He did so with you too, Mr. Lamentar."

"Please, just call me Ivory." I insisted. "It would be weird if you called me by family name."

"Okay then, Ivory. Would you like to go some place different?" He asked. "Somewhere a bit more quiet?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"I've grown tired of being outside. It hurts me that my brother is so close and there's no way to talk to him. Perhaps my room?"

"Are you sure I'm allowed?"

"Yes. Now..." He said as he stood up and offered his hand. "Shall we go?" He asked as he smiled.