A Dangerous Liaison

-5-

Nino

Friday

It was a blur. The house was a bustle of activity - people coming in and out in a frenetic tango of grief and duty. Doctor Ayak, Pa's trusted medical advisor, stood by the door and recorded the time of death in a somber, official manner. Meanwhile, the maids moved quietly, draping white linen over their father's belongings. Their faces, like Dr. Ayak's, were masked with despondent expressions of respect, regret, and empathy.

Nino stepped outside the room, his composure controlled and polite, as he gestured for the Doctor to follow him. With nods of acknowledgment, quiet words of gratitude from Nino, and a gentle pat on the arm, Dr. Ayak departed, allowing Nino's attention to fall on Kita. 

His brother stood nervously at the top of the stairs, his face a blend of anxiety and sadness, his eyes red, wet and misty. Nino could see Kita's hesitation, his obvious reluctance to enter the room where their father lay, keeping him secluded from those inside. 

Nino wasn't surprised by Kita's reaction. Their father had always been an important figure in Kita's life, and the gravity of seeing him dead was something he wasn't ready to face, nor accept, especially so soon after the distress he had to confront last year. 

Unlike the others, Nino himself wasn't a stranger to the complications of Pa's world. He had been intimately involved in the family's dealings from a young age, a role that had been thrust upon him by expectation. As heir, Nino knew the depth of his family's hidden operations—something that only he fully grasped, had a permanent role in managing, and swore to protect at all costs.  

The darker undercurrents that came with his family's success were now in his hands; it was time to demonstrate that he was truly his father's son.

Kita, on the other hand and like the others, had always been more removed from these grim realities. Seen often as the less mature sibling, his dreams and ambitions, as naïve and foolish as they were, only influenced Pa's decision to keep his younger brother's hands clean. 

A wise choice. 

Nino usually found Kita's attitude frustrating, but today was different. As he observed his brother, Nino saw a side of Kita that was unfamiliar to him —a kind of vulnerability that hinted at an overwhelming sense of fear, dread, and confusion. It was the same side he had shown last year - Pa's death had triggered something within him, an unsettling and harrowing memory that  he now really struggled to push away. 

Kita shuffled slowly towards Nino, his movements shaky as he steadied himself on the banister. "Will you go in with me?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. The closer he got to the open door, the more he seemed to shrink from the sight of it. 

"The others are inside," Nino said, placing a reassuring arm around Kita's shoulders. "Anna will stay with you. I have some business to attend to," he added, gently guiding Kita towards the door. Kita flinched slightly as he crossed the threshold.

"What business?" Kita's voice was soft, almost childlike in its uncertainty.

Nino hesitated, searching for a way to explain it without delving into the complex aspects of their father's affairs. "I need to make a few calls with Pa's lawyers."

Kita's expression went blank. Nino knew better than to expect Kita to grasp the significance of legal and financial matters, despite being fully aware of their importance, and so he left it at that. The will, the division of assets, and the management of Pa's affairs were all crucial and difficult tasks that needed to be handled with care and precision. 

But before he could attend to those pressing issues, Nino had to deal with the mess his father had left behind— matters that were bound to cause trouble if not suppressed without delay. 

The last thing he needed was for the police to find out. 

+-------+

one hour later

Kita

Saturday

Kita gripped Anna's arm tightly, his eyes focused on the fabric of her blouse. Her voice was a distant murmur, fading and returning at intervals in the background as he tried to process the reality of the situation. She had just said something, but he had no idea what. 

"Kita, I know this is incredibly hard," Anna said softly. "You haven't seen him for months, and I'm so sorry for that. This is all so unfortunate. Take all the time you need to grieve—your father loved you very much. If there's anything I can do..."

Her voice trailed off. She didn't have to say it. Kita knew he wouldn't ask for her help. He slowly turned his gaze towards the white bed sheets, still trying to avoid looking directly at his father's face. The sight was unbearable—he had seen a corpse before, but he had never expected to face one so soon after the last time. His father's lifeless body lay still on the mattress, his head tilted at an unnatural angle, a ghastly reminder of the finality of death. 

The sight terrified him, a haunting sight he knew would invade in dreams. 

Across the room, Star was inconsolable. She knelt beside the bed, clutching her father's motionless hands, whispering a silent prayer through her tears. Olivia stood next to her, gently stroking her hair in a gesture of loving comfort. Kita's heart thumped in his chest as he struggled to steady himself, the overwhelming sense of dread and grief making it hard to breathe.

Memories of Mee flooded back in the moment, and Kita's chest tightened. 

Anna must have seen the distress in his eyes. She moved closer, wrapping her arms around him. Kita clung to her, desperately seeking solace; the warmth of her body against his was a small comfort. Human contact and company was the only thing holding him together, the only thing keeping him from breaking down completely like Star had in the restaurant.

He had already shed his tears—he felt drained, empty, and lost. He hated showing weakness, especially in front of his siblings, and feeling utterly exposed now only magnified it. The only person he had ever truly let his guard down with was Mee, and Mee wasn't here now. He needed Mee more than ever, but he was alone in this.

Mee. My beloved Mee, he thought, closing his eyes.

Another hand rested gently on his back. Kita turned his head slightly to find Ma standing there, her presence a welcome relief. He released himself from Anna's hug with a grateful smile, and spun on his heel to fully face his mother. She leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, a gesture that always made him feel better. She, too, had no tears left to shed. 

He had missed her terribly while away at boarding school, and the painful separation had only intensified after moving out of the city for university.

"My dear," she whispered, her voice a soft caress as she cupped his damp cheeks in her warm hands. She took his hand, pulling him away from Anna and the others. "Why don't you take one of these tablets Dr. Ayak prescribed for you? They'll help you get some rest," she suggested, holding out a small bottle to him. 

Kita hesitated. He had been trying to ignore the need for these pills, reluctant to remind himself of the reasons behind his insomnia - the nightmares that plagued him had only worsened over time.

He nodded slowly, surprised to find the bottle already pressed into his hands. With a heavy sigh, he accepted the pills, his fingers tracing the orange surface of the container. Glancing around the room, he caught Akira staring at him. His eyes flicked from the bottle to him, his expression unreadable, but Kita knew it was steeped in disapproval and dismay. 

Deep down, however, Kita knew Akira's reaction to be hypocritical.

As he prepared to leave the room, he took two tablets from the bottle—one for himself and one for Mee.

Closing his eyes, he swallowed both without second thought. 

+-------+