Chapter 54: Estranged Family

*Seiya*

"Hey! Big bro!" Sou yelled, running at me as I walked on the dirt road leading to our place. Well, my former place.

"What's up, Sou? Looking as cheerful as ever, I see," I said, smiling.

Sou brought his arms close to his body and chuckled. "Well, yeah! We're going to the zoo!"

I smirked. "Oh? Who is this 'we'?"

"My friends and family!"

I laughed. "Thought it was just going to be you and Sekin."

He blushed. "I-I told you! I don't like him like that anymore. I'm going out with his cousin, Sehun. Although, Sekin will be there." He grabbed me by the wrist. "And you will be too! You are a part of the family."

I frowned. "Wait, are you sure?"

"Yeah!" He slowed down and turned to look at me. My little brother frowned. "Why do you not seem happy?"

I sighed. "Father's going to be there, isn't he?"

He nodded. "Well, duh!"

I looked at the ground.

"Are you still worried about seeing him again?"

I gulped. "Well, I was to be the heir of the family. I was his ideal son... until he found out I was gay."

Sou let go of me. "Well, he has tried to change. Granted, it's coming slowly, but still!"

I sighed. 

Sou gave me puppy eyes. "Please, for your little bro?"

I ruffled my hair and grumbled. "I hate when you do that!"

He kept looking at me with his big citrine yellow eyes.

I sighed. "Okay... You win."

He jumped and hugged me. "Yahoo! You're the best, Big Bro!"

I chuckled. "How old are you now? You still act the same as the last time we went to a zoo."

He chuckled as he let go of me and jumped on my back. "Let's go, Seiya!"

I sighed. Now he was just doing it to bother me.

I grabbed his legs and smirked "Hold on tight, little bro!"

He laughed as I ran downhill.

Dad, Mom, and our little siblings awaited us.

Dad waved awkwardly.

Mom nudged him.

He sighed. "Uh, nice seeing you, son."

Sou snickered. "You see me all the time, Dad!"

He grumbled. "Not you, Sou. Seiya."

I laughed. Sou probably knew that and just wanted to make him specify he meant me.

I put Sou down. "You aren't disappointed to see me back?"

Pa frowned. "Why would I be?"

I scratched the back of my head. "I embarrassed the family name, didn't I?"

Pa stared at Sou and then back at me. "Well, I won't lie and say I didn't feel disappointed at first. Finding my son making out with his best friend wasn't something I'd expected to see. I'm sorry for the way I reacted, and the things I said."

He said that as if the only thing he was disappointed in was discovering me making out with my friend, but was that true? The face he made that day was like one of betrayal. Pa expected me to pass on the family name, I knew he did. But, I'd failed him.

"It was hard to accept that I gay children, especially when Sou came out, but you two are your own people. You can make your own decisions. Although, I may not always agree with them."

I smiled slightly. That was enough for me.

Sou's eyes were watery.

I patted his back and smiled.

"Come on, let's go. The zoo awaits!" my sister said, smiling as she rushed to the car. The last time we went to the zoo, she was a baby.

All six of us got into Pa's car. Sou and I each carried one of our siblings on our laps, even though the was enough space for one of them to sit normally.

"Hold on, Pa. Someone else is coming," Sou said, staring at our house.

I furrowed my brow. Did he mean Purpura? But, Pa didn't know about him staying with us.

Pa gasped as he saw Purpura walked toward us.

"Isn't that the kid we saw on the roof a couple weeks back?" Pa asked.

Ma put a hand on his right hand as soon as it looked like he was going to get out of the car.

"He's Sou's friend."

He glanced at my brother. "You befriended that guy?" He gasped. "Wait, is he your secret lover? Your mom said she saw him come out of your room."

Sou blushed and shook his head. "N-no! Nothing happened. And, no, he's not my lover."

"Then why's he coming?" Pa asked.

"Cuz he's my friend!"

Purpura stopped in front of us and waved as awkwardly as Pa had done so earlier.

Pa got out and crossed his arms. "You aren't taking advantage of my son, are you?"

Purpura blinked. "Uh, no."

"Well, if you are, I won't let you near him."

Sou sighed. "Pa, calm down. Purpura isn't a bad guy."

Our siblings nodded.

"Purpura play cards with me," our little brother said.

Pa leaned on his seat and huffed. "If you say so, but if I discover you're doing stuff you shouldn't in my house, you'll be in big trouble."

Sou blushed. "D-don't worry, Pa. We'll be good."

"You better be." He glanced Purpura. "Hurry and get in."

Purpura smiled and sat next to Sou who scooted close to me.

"I still don't trust you," Pa said, frowning.

"I don't care," Purpura replied.

"Hey, watch your tone, punk."

"Pa, just drive," Sou whined.

"Alright." He started the car and drove.

Sou smiled. "So, where are we going first?"

"The lion, of course," Pa said, grinning.

"Yeah!" my brother and sister cheered.

"You guys like lions?" Purpura asked.

They nodded.

"What's your favorite animal, Purpura?" Sou asked.

He looked down. "The rat."

We all brinked.

"A rat?" Father asked as we exited town.

"Yes, I love the rat."

"Why? They're rats."

"They are cute."

"How are those disgusting creatures cute?"

"You think the lion is cute?"

"No, but they are cool."

Purpura stared at him. "Well, the rat is cool, too. You should have seen the ones I met in the lab. They were amazing."

"Lab?"

Purpura glanced outside. "Forget I said anything."

Pa narrowed his eyes.

"I'm a lion fan too," Sou said, smiling.

"Me, too!" I said.

Ma laughed. "You boys love the animals that roar, don't you?"

We both nodded.

"Well, I'm a giraffe girl myself."

"Giraffes are tall," our little bro said, beaming.

"And pretty!" our sister added.

Ma giggled.

Pa hummed. "Tigers are pretty cool too."

Sou snickered. "My boyfriend likes them too."

Purpura crossed his arms and scoffed. "Rats are cooler."

Was he jealous of Sehun?

Sou chuckled. "You really do love rats, huh? Although, not sure if we'll see any. That's like having dogs at the zoo."

Purpura frowned.

"We could maybe go to a pet shop later if you really want to see one," I said, chuckling.

His expression softened. "Really?"

I nodded.

"You're too good," Sou said, smiling.

I shook my head. "It's only natural. Purpura is our guest, after all."

Purpura smiled. "Seems you're just a bigger cinnamon roll."

I blushed and scratched the back of my head. "That's not a bad thing, is it?"

"Nah, it means you're nice and friendly," Sou said, leaning on my shoulder.

My little siblings hugged me as well.

"Seiya is the best big bro," my little sis said.

"Yay, Seiya," my little bro added, smiling.

"See? You're loved, Seiya," Sou said, patting me on the back.

I felt my eyes grow teary.

"You're going to make me cry," I said, sniffing.

Ma snickered. "As sensitive as ever."

I pouted. "Hey, come on. I can't help it."

"It's not a bad thing, though," Sou said, rubbing my back.

Purpura smiled slightly.

Pa just smiled as we zoomed toward the capital.

My eyes narrowed at the city. I felt a dark aura emanating from it.

"Something wrong?" Sou asked.

"Yeah," Purpura mumbled.

"What is it?"

"The capital," I whispered. "I sense something strange."

Purpura nodded. "Something dark is lurking in the shadows."

We would have to be careful.