We Meet Again [prologue] ✔️

Cinque

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The weather was like yesterday; sunny with a few clouds. Michi and Ryu were up earlier than normal for some weird reason, but that gave them some playtime together.

"Ryu," Michi called as he stopped playing with the superhero action figure he was gifted. "Yeah?" Ryu said and continued making the exploding noises for his action figure. "Why do you this Papá get upset when you talk about cool guys?" Michi asks and Ryu stops, the scene from yesterday popping up in his tiny brain. "I don't know," Ryu said as his eyebrows knitted together. "Did Papá look like dis?" Ryu spun around with a funny face which made Michi giggle. "No, what about dis?" Michi said and made another face. "Nope, dis?"

They continued to make faces until Michi excitedly pointed out the facial feature Ryu had on. "Oh, oh! It that one!" Michi said and mimicked the face best he could; eyebrows deeply furrowed, a thin line presented on his face, nose slightly scrunched, and eyes a deep shallow look that shined in the pretty sun when they were outside. "Let go show papa," Michi said and Ryu nodded his head in agreement. They stood up and left their room.

They went down the short hallway and helped each other open the door. They stepped inside with proud smiles but they dropped when they saw their papa on his bed still; head covered by his covers. They looked at each other and walked over, Michi calling first. "Papa, are you okay?" He asks as they crawled onto the bed carefully. "Mhm," Felix mumbles as he moves his blanket from his head to look at his sons. "Papa is sick! Code red, weewoo!" Ryu shouted and Felix gave a gentle chuckle. "No, Drago, my head just hurts," Felix reassures and the twins stare at him as they blink slowly. "Oh..do we medicine?" Ryu asked and Felix sighs. "We don't have any," He mumbles and the twins look at each other. "We go find help!" They shouted in unison as they slithered off the bed and ran out of the room before Felix could raise his voice to stop them.

Ryu and Michi got to the bottom of the staircase and went to the front door. They put on their sandals and left the house, going towards the other small house that was owned by a very nice and trustworthy female; Mrs. Mazza.

She was an older woman, in her early 70s, but she was very active and helpful. She was out every morning, watering her flower beds that never died; even in the winter. She wore colorful clothes with different floral patterns and each time Michi and Ryu would approach her; she would tell hilarious stories about how she was once a flower and learned to used her roots to walk around the world. She lived alone as her husband had passed away from a terrible flew before the twins were born and before Felix arrived as well.

Michi and Ryu combined their hands and kept their eyes focused on their surroundings and where the women lived. As they got closer to the similar style house, they heard the soft humming of Mrs. Mazza. They looked at each other with bright smiles and picked up their walking pace; which wasn't very fast as they always stumbled from how clumsy they are.

They got closer and closer to the house and the set of stairs came into view; along with the silver hair of the elder on the porch. They got to the stairs in no time and carefully started to climb up the stairs as they called for the women.

"la signora Mazza! la signora Mazza!"

The called lady paused her humming. She slowly turned her head and a smile came to her aging face at the familiar freckled boys. "I miei fiori, how are you?" She gently set her watering can on the glass table in the corner and walked over to meet the freckled boys. "Where is your papa?" She asks as she gives them welcoming kisses on the head. "Papa is sicky!" Ryu announced as he raised his hand, which was still being held by Michi. "No! Papa said his head was owie!" Michi said as he took his hand down from Ryu's and shook his head disappointingly. "Oops," Ryu said and gave his brother a big smile. "Oh caro," She said as her eyes brow furrow, "and he doesn't have any medicine?" Ms. Mazza asked and they shook their heads.

They were a few blocks away from the small settlement of houses as they made their way to a small drug store. Michi and Ryu were on the right side, away from the road, and held each other's hands for safekeeping. Mrs. Mazza was her pleasant self, greeting the passing children who were on their way to school or adults on a morning walk. "Why papa no do walk?" Michi asks and Mrs. Mazza looked at the light-headed boy. "That's a good question, miei fiori," Mrs. Mazza said and ruffled the boy's hair, "ask your papa when you get home."

They two nodded their heads and the elder gave a smile at the precious boys. She looked up and snapped her finger. "There, come on," she said and gently pushed them towards the entrance of the small store. She opened the door first and hustled her favorite "grandkids" inside before following in pursuit.

They wandered around the store until they found the shelves they were looking for. Mrs. Mazza started slowly scanning the shelf as she read the tiny labels on the containers. She uttered words Michi and Ryu didn't understand as she placed and picked up bottles.

Michi and Ryu were playing a simple game of who could make the funniest hand creature when they heard something; someone.

"Hey."

They turned their heads and locked eyes with another set. The person gave a wave and the twins waved back with bright smiles; a gesture they were taught by their papa.

The person made a weird hand motion and they looked at each other with confused looks then back at the man. The man pulled down his mask and mouthed; come here.

Ryu and Michi, who were children, followed the instructions and started waddling over. Mrs. Mazza found the medicine needed and grabbed it, smiling brightly as she turned to where the boys should've been. Her eyes trailed up and she glared harshly at the man who was talking to the twins.

"Boys, what do you think you're doing?"

Michi and Ryu turned with big smiles but they dropped when they saw her look. Mrs. Mazza looked at the man as she walked over. The two started arguing, Mrs. Mazza doing most of the yelling until the man ran off after getting threatened with her sandal.

She cooled down and slowly kneeled down towards the boys. "Hasn't your papa told you to not talk to strangers?"

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I miei fiori- My flower
Oh caro- Oh dear