BELOVED BY THE TWINS

CHAPTER 12

"BELOVED BY THE TWINS"
by: Dark Flame Master

As Shin walked outside the school gates his mind drifted back to Juri, the new transfer student. He couldn't stop thinking about the way she had pouted and crossed her arms when he ignored her. For some reason the image of her tiny frame and determined attitude made him giggle to himself. She was so short and the way she had tried so hard to talk to him was kind of funny.

But then, he shook his head quickly trying to forget about her. He didn’t want to get close to anyone. Being alone was better. The last time he opened up to people it only led to bullying and betrayal.

Shin continued walking pushing Juri out of his mind and focused on his plan for the afternoon. He was going to visit his mother at the hospital. On the way, he decided to stop by a flower shop to pick up some flowers for her. After that, he would grab food for himself and the twins, Luca and Ruka, so they could all eat together. The twins had always been there for him and they were the only ones he felt truly comfortable around.

As he approached the hospital he stopped at a small stall selling fresh flowers. After a few moments of looking through the various bouquets, he picked a bunch of bright, cheerful daisies. His mother always loved daisies.

Carrying the flowers and a bag of food, Shin made his way to his mother’s room. He opened the door slowly peeking inside.

“Mommm..?” he called out excitedly.
His mother turned to look at him but instead of greeting him with a smile she turned her head away dramatically and pouted like a child crossing her arms.

“Hmph,” she muttered playfully.
Shin blinked in surprise. “Huh? Why are you acting like that?” he asked, stepping inside and placing the flowers on the bedside table.

“You haven’t visited me in two weeks,” his mother said, her tone teasing but with a hint of real sadness. “I missed you.”

Shin scratched the back of his head feeling guilty. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’ve been really busy with school… and with the twins,” he explained.

His mother glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “Well, the twins have been visiting me almost every day, telling me all about you.”

Shin’s eyes widened in embarrassment. “What? What did they say?” he asked, suddenly worried.

“They said you slipped in the bathroom and sprained your foot, and that’s why you couldn’t visit me,” she said, shaking her head with a small smile.

Shin’s face turned red. “Oh… yeah… sorry about that,” he mumbled, feeling a little ashamed for lying.

His mother waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. Are you okay now?” she asked, concerned was filling her voice.

Shin nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. The twins helped me. It’s a good thing they’re studying to become doctors.”

His mother smiled clearly proud of the twins for taking care of him. “That’s good. You’re lucky to have them.”

“I know,” Shin said with a soft smile. He sat down on the edge of the bed looking around the room. “So, how have you been? Everything okay here?”

“I’m doing fine,” his mother replied then changed the subject. “How was school today?”

Shin hesitated for a moment, then said, “It was okay, but… there’s this new girl. She’s really cute, and—”

Before he could finish, his mother cut him off, her eyes lighting up. “Oh… I think it’s time for them to arrive,” she said, looking toward the door.