Sunflower

After brushing their teeth, Alek and Bia went into their room without talking. They weren't ignoring each other. They just didn't have anything to talk about.

Alek's mind was occupied with the thoughts of Aether. She didn't see her sister peeking her face from the side.

Bia was concerned about her sister but, she didn't show it on her face because she was the "strong one" in the status of their siblinghood. Bia needed to be strong and calm so that others around her can be calm.

Bia didn't like being worried or even be protected. She liked it when she protected them. Alek was naive.

Alek wouldn't notice boys staring at her because her mind is always occupied with books.

When boys tell her they like her, she tells them she also liked them but, that's not what they meant, so they go extreme and tries to force something that Alek does not want.

So Bia learned some martial art tricks and the use of knives. She learned how to use knives but, she has never used them in a fight because she didn't need to, but she had it just in case.

Before any boys could do something to her sister, Bia hunt down the boys and beat them up to make them give up on her sister.

She has been doing this for two years, beating up boys who dare to approach her little big sister.

It is a miracle that Alek doesn't know her sister beats up boys who get too close to her.

Most of the boys that Bia deals with were older than her but, she had no problem with them. She was stronger than most of them.

Bia always had few small knives in her bags, pockets and shoes just in case.

But no one knew she had knives everywhere and knows some martial art tricks and, she wasn't planning to show off to people.

When they entered the room, they both went to their side of the room and started changing.

Alek's side of the wall was made with a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf and full of books inside it.

But some books still did not fit on the bookshelf so, they were all over the place. On the study table, on the bed, sometimes in the closet, stuck between her clothes.

So when she removed her top from the closet to wear her today's outfit, a book slipped out from the top.

Thud.

"Ahhh, I finally found you! I've been looking everywhere for you, baby!! You safe?" Bia looked back to find her sister rubbing the book to her cheek. It happens once in a while. A book would be found inside the closet.

Alek reads around three books at a time and two in her phone that she can read offline.

When a character in the book mess up, she stops reading and start another book. But a character messes up in this book again so, she starts another one.

After some time, Alek will be ready to read to face the first book so, she continues the first book. Then after that, she would continue the second and the third book.

When she goes out but forgets her books at home, she will read the ones she has in her phone.

Bia just ignored her sister and looked back in her closet to find clothes to wear.

Alek came running to her sister with a big smile on her face.

"I found it! You were right! I found it in my closet! I've searched inside the closet when I was looking for this but couldn't find it. How did you know it was in there?"

Bia was dumbstruck. She couldn't believe her sister is asking that question! Every time a book goes missing, it's always in the closet.

But her sister would forget about that in a second she tells her.

Bia sighed and gave her sister the same explanation she gave Alek the last time and times before that.

"I don't know how a BOOK ends up in the closet but, it's always there so I'm telling you, every time it goes missing, you first check the closet thoroughly. Okay?"

"Okay!! Thank you!! Now I can meet my love."

When Alek's says 'my love', it means a fictional character in the book that she loves.

"Just change. We'll be late. We don't want to anger mom."

"Yeah, by the way, why haven't you changed yet? You take long, Bia."

The moment these words left Alek's mouth, Bia could only stare at her in disbelief.

'Am I bad for wanting to strangle my own sisters' neck?' She asked no one in particular in her mind.

Before she put that in action, fortunately, Alek went back to her closet and started changing. Bia sighed inwardly when Alek walked away from her.

'I have to get used to this before I'll be the one beating her up!' Bia told herself.

Alek wore a navy blue cocktail dress with black tights with a long black cardigan. Bia wore a white shirt with a black suit.

After combing her hair lightly, Alek put her dark brown wavy-curly hair in a bun. She put a sunflower next to her ears. That way, she looked older. But mentally, she was a five-year-old child.

Bia straightened her shoulder-length curly black hair and put them in a ponytail. She looked like a cold-hearted businesswoman.

Bia grabbed her purse, but this time, she didn't carry any knife. Instead, she put a sunflower in her suit pocket where it's visible for everyone to see.

They were the last ones to come outside from the house. Everyone had their sunflower somewhere visible for people to see.

Panacea had it on her hat, Robin had it on his tie and, Kai had it on his wrist. Everyone had the same sunflower necklace under their clothes.

The sunflower reminded them of Aether. His smile and aura around him were filled with warmth and happiness.

Kai sat in the middle of his sisters. Alek on the right and Bia on the left in the car. Robin was the one who was driving and, Panacea looked like she was deep in thought.

Alek pulled out the headphones and started listening to her favourite song.

Bia stared out the window and, Kai had nothing to do, so he lightly leaned on Bia and let his mind wander. Bia looked at her brother but didn't do anything to move him.

Kai loved both of his sisters. He was a quiet kid and, no one really knew what he was thinking. Kai was the type of person who thinks thoroughly before putting it into action.

Kai knew why Bia acts like she doesn't like Alek but, he can see right through her eyes that she was just worried about Alek. Kai also understood why Bia is like that.

Alek was naive and always kind. She does not hate because she does not like hating and the word 'Hate'.

Alek was like the warm sun. Providing light around her. So Bia turned herself into an ocean. Beautiful but dangerous.

Kai liked to observe people, especially his sisters. He could see the pain in Alek's eyes when somebody talks about Aether.

He was told his brother died before he was born. Aether was very excited about having a little brother but, he never got to see Kai.

Aether was also the one who decided to name his brother Kairos together with his grandmother.

His grandmother was into Greek mythology and, she derived their names into her children and her grandchildren.

Kai only knew his brother's face through pictures and videos but, he seemed to have a caring personality. Aether was always beside Alek and looking out for her.

Kai wished he had met his brother. He wanted to know him, not through camera lenses, but physically... 'Guess that's not possible.' Kai thought.

No matter how much he wanted to know his brother more, he can't.

After half an hour of driving, they finally reached the graveyard where Aether was buried.

They walked in silence to his grave and placed a bouquet of sunflowers on his grave. Aether's grave was Japanese type and had his name written in two languages.

Aether Kei Minazuki

The sunflower was his favourite flower. He liked it because it felt warm and strong.

They didn't do anything but stare at the grave with their thoughts inside of them. Everyone was talking to Aether in their mind.

They were standing there for a long time before they left, one by one to the car after talking to him. Alek was the last one remaining.

She finally spoke.

"I hope you are not lonely. You can always stay with me even when I can't see you. I'm always here for you. No matter what. It's a promise between you and me." She held out her pinky and held it with her left hand.

"...Wish you were here with us. With Kai, Bia, mom, dad and... and me." She whispered these words with so many emotions swirling around. She didn't know which expression to make.

"Will I be older than you when I finally meet you again, or would I be a seven-year-old?" She asked a question with a sad smile and tears in her eyes.

"I will make it everyone's problem when I come to your side." She told him with half-serious, half-joking. Then she placed a soft kiss on his grave, letting a tear fall from her eye.

Before she wiped her eyes, she thought she saw a yellow-orange light from the sunflower but, when she wiped her eyes, she couldn't see it anymore.

She thought the tears in her eyes and the sunlight was playing a trick on her.

She finally turned back and started walking towards the car where her family was waiting.

What she didn't know was that the sunflower lit up again. But this time, it was her family who saw the light.

Kai was the one who spoke.

"It's time."

No one said anything. Everyone just stared at Alek walking towards the car.