The Painting I Called 'You'

Prologue- The Beginning

Kenzo

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I crack open an egg on the side of a bowl and watch the eggshells fall in it along with the egg's contents.

Then I look to the side and see the rest of my miserable failures of cracked eggs. I sigh, "I really should have learnt how to cook with Mom. Fuck this." I resort to picking the bits of eggshells out of the bowl instead. I didn't have more time to learn the art of egg cracking neither did I have the leisure to waste eggs.

"If I have to adjust that damn budget again I will lose it." I grumble before I attempt to make breakfast before my brother woke up.

Somehow, I managed it. I managed to make two plates of hopefully edible food.

"Enzo?" I swivel around at the sound of Koa's voice, "You're awake!"

"Yeah," he mumbles, rubbing his eyes, yawning.

"You didn't brush your teeth did you?" I chide. Koa's lips purse together in annoyance, "I smelt food." He reasons.

"Go freshen up before I make you," with a scowl my brother turns around and walks out of the kitchen, grumbling to himself. He returns after fifteen minutes, completely dressed up.

"Happy now?"

I slide a plate of hopefully edible breakfast towards him, "Oh, I'm overjoyed that you have the ability to perform basic hygienic tasks for your own health and well-being."

"You don't have to be an asshole about it," Koa grumbles, stuffing food into his mouth.

I throw a balled-up tissue at him, "Where's the respect you little shit? I'm your older brother."

"You just swore!" he defends.

"Did you miss the part where I said older? Do I need to take you to the Otolaryngologist?" I snip.

"You're annoying." He sticks his tongue out at me.

"Says you, kid." I scoff.

"I'm not a kid!"

"Kid." I emphasize.

"Oldie." He clips back.

"You little sh-" he throws the balled-up tissue back at me before I can finish, "No cussing, remember?"

"You're just like mom." I grumble.

The room falls silent, I see some tears prick the corners of Koa's eyes but I don't say anything.

What could I say anyway? I'm sorry for bringing up our dead mother when we're supposed to be joking?

My phone cuts through the silence, I jolt in my seat, scrambling to pick it up. I don't register the message I received but only the time.

"You'll be late!" I yelp, scarfing down the rest of my food. Thankfully Koa finished his.

I ditch the option of Koa's lunch and shove some money in his hands instead, "I'm sorry, buy yourself something to eat, alright?" I tell him, he waves it off before running upstairs to bring his bag while I go to the garage and haul out my bike.

Thank fuck Dad taught me how to ride a bike.

When Koa comes out, I toss him his helmet which he catches swiftly. I may or may not have broken a small traffic rule, or two, while dropping him off.

I stop at the gateway of his school, plucking the helmet off his hands, "I won't be there to pick you up in the afternoon, is that alright?"

"Why not?"