The Grey Storm

13

The Awkward sibling bonding
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Isamiona got back up with her hands in front of her, praying softly to herself. The blue fire was still burning as she pour drips of scented oils, throwing blue dyed hay. "Ooo Mira Ossä, I don't even want to leave this room."

Spitting at the other balcony after Iseul left from another failed attempt of getting her attention, he once came into her room late at night to "watch" over her. But obviously she kicked him out, everyone walking on eggshells around her just because she's expressing her emotions and now it ticked her off. Getting up from her prayer mat and threw black sand over the flames, the glass sliding doors closed behind her.

Seeing Elijah fighting with his necktie looking at her body mirror, which started to boil her blood. Nobody is giving her privacy and it irked her, the maid placed a tray of coffee in a vase–shaped teacup and butter biscuits. Bowing her head before leaving the room in a hurry too afraid to face the Head of the household's wrath. She could only sigh heavily and beckoned him to come towards her, Elijah hesitated at first not knowing Isamiona's state of emotion but stood in front of her leaning down for her. Looking at the bow around her neck and frown, "You're still grieving?" Isamiona shook her head at his oblivious question while unknotting the tie. "It's not a month yet," she continue undoing his messed up knot.

Forming a triangle wordlessly. Elijah was getting annoyed from the silence and lack of communication between them, looking at the girl who used to be full of joy and brought happiness to everyone wherever she went. Elijah's expression told Isamiona everything, "You entering without permission is ungentlemanly like, fix it!"

"Ay, Amestia. Any interesting topic you wanna ramble about?" he jokingly said grinning, but only to be met with a blank glare. Frowning as she continued tying his tie in silence, straightening the tie to meet the top button. Pulling the tie tighter, he was going to thank her but the tie started choking him. Watching her oldest brother gagging and groaning breathlessly with a calm face. Flexing her brain which drain the air from Elijah's neck, making it hard for him to breathe. "What are you really here for? You never once shown any interest in me," wrapping the tie around her forearm, tightening the grip. "Now all of a sudden you pitying me because my mother is dead?"

Shaking his head as she squeezed the arteries in his neck, "Or you showing kindness because I'm Lady of the state? Which is it?" Elijah thrashed as he started seeing black dotting his eyes, watching him carefully as he was about to pass out. Kneeling as she followed pulling the material tighter as he patted on Isamiona's hand for her to let him breathe, "Pain is pain." she said firmly but softly and calmly. "Sharing a motherless life doesn't make us equals, I'm always higher than you and will be. Understand?" Elijah nodded as she let go watching him swallowing air, gasping painfully. She stood in front of him, fixing the collar and soothing his suit jacket, turning his pin of a gold lion with aquamarine diamond eyes.

Looking at her in fear as he straighten himself, chuckling softly. "Y-You got old Man's strength for a tiny bean like you," he joked as his voice came out hoarse, rubbing his neck to sooth the pain only to meet Isamiona's uninterested look.

"I'm starting to like this café," Isamiona tapped her forefinger to the upbeat song against the table, watching the pianist playing a guitar today. "Quite interesting, Teahouse café is famous here." Elijah said looking around nodding before taking a sip of his Turkish kiwi-mint tea, Ethan nodded to beat of the song. Though both brothers aren't happy with the Korean brothers joining them on their sibling breakfast, which was the only safe space for them to get away from that family. But Hyo wanted them to bond more as siblings, this is getting on everyone's nerves. "Any ideas to getting father's presents?" Elijah tried to kill the awkwardness, Baek signed and swirl his coffee. "I'll think of something, Dae-Myung?"

Dae-Myung didn't even bother to look up from texting, so nonchalantly said. "Probably cologne or cigars or a tie, like always."

"He hates cigars," Isamiona said as her plate of food arrived, "Dae-Hyun and Dae-Ho?" the twins shrugged, "We'll think of it, Ethan and Elijah?"

"A new pair of cuff pins and brochure, I'll make it." Elijah said scratching the back of his neck hesitantly, "New set of rings, he enjoys them." Ethan had the same manner which quirked Isamiona's interest, "Isamiona?"

"I gave the venu which is expensive, especially during June month." Isamiona said silently digging into her warm omelette, "You could have ask Mother to make you that, instead of wasting money." Baek said bitterly, looking at her while she was eating. Dae-Myung was too busy on his phone to notice and the twins was lost in their own world to listen.

"She can't make Malagarian omelette, it has Kyï meat that only this cafe serves." chewing while scooping mash potato onto her fork before putting it in her mouth, silencing the second oldest with her hand. "Baek, let's have an understanding here." placing the cutlery down on the white napkin folding her hands under her chin, looking at the young man with his hair back and glasses resting on his face. "Your side sneers and bitter remarks today is adorable, but it doesn't mean I'll let it slide."

"And what you going to do about that? You're in Korea, Interpol and Foreign Department are going to deport you if you ever harm a citizen." Isamiona laughed loudly and hard, sounding forced which made everyone look at her. "Are you threatening her Chertovski lenivyy Koreyets!" (Damn lazy Korean) Elijah cursed in Russian, getting up as the whole table was hostile. Isamiona halt a hand for him to calm down. Making the table look at Isamiona and Baek, even Dae-Myung stopped texting. Watching the young girl laughing, which confused them. "Really? Interpol? You must really not know us," curling her hand into a tight fist and tugging as Baek's head suddenly was slammed on the table hard, startling the whole table, "Malagarians were Isolated for so long that it pinned first world countries who surrounded us because of our advance technology." pinning Elijah's wrist to the table who was already fuming in anger, "Because they couldn't control us to take our resources," lifting his head up as his glasses lease broke and blood running from his cheek from the knife. "And now you threatening me?"

Tossing a navy blue handkerchief at him stoically, watching him insensitively hardening her eyes. "Is it because your parents are worrying about me more that your pathetic masters as a historian?" Baek silently wiped his cheek as Isamiona snorted disappointedly, "You're worse than these two idiots who tried to burn the House of Storm to get rid of me," jabbing a thumb at Elijah and Ethan who watched her in hesitantly. Getting up tossing her napkin, "Run away like you always do!" Elijah and Ethan stood up but Isamiona disappeared from the head of the table, suddenly Baek whimpered as Isamiona was behind him, about to slam his head as the fork was inches from his eye though he has glasses on.

"Isamiona," Elijah said nervously, wanting to watch this but fear of Iseul's wrath if one of his stepsons was injured. "Say that again? In my ear to hear clearly?"

"G-Go. . .to hell!" with her fingers wrapped around his windpipe. "Baek!" Dae-Myung got up, "Sit your ass down!" Elijah dragged out his Russian out, Ethan told the other tables to relax. "Say it again? Run away where?" flexing her mind as her as it put pressure on his windpipe making him gasp for air, her cold breath send shivers through his spine. "Or I kill you right here, that interpol will turn a blind eye and your father can do nothing about it."

"Isamiona his turning red," Elijah said as she dropped him as he coughed uncontrollably for air, "Since Baek ruined my appetit, I'm going for a drink." the Singer was staring at her weirdly as she narrowed her eyes, giving him a pointed look. Watching as the pianist looked away to avoid awkwardness, Elijah looked at Ethan who hesitated.

"At ten in the morning? On a Tuesday?"

"But you are a minor?" the twins asked after each other, shrugging her shoulders taking money out of her purse. Tossing the money on the table, "Lie to Hyo good." she looked at Elijah who nodded as she walked away. Ethan took her plate and ate her food on, "How can you still eat after all that?" Dae-Ho asked still shaken up from the incident, "She likes a lot of garlic in her food." he muttered to himself. "She has the temper of Father, like father—like daughter."