The Equation of Hearts

√𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝟷𝟹ﮩ٨ـﮩﮩ٨ـﮩ٨ـﮩ

Elena found it strange: everyone was tense beyond actual comprehension. Even Sora couldn't hide what he usually did. His glances and the way he spoke to Kato. He knew something he shouldn't have. And it was scary, he was often very good at hiding it. And even Kato. He was quieter than usual. Only speaking in low mutters and whispers for the day. They all returned to the penthouse and the first thing Kato did was go into his room.

"I'm following the kiddo!" Sora - a man void of privacy - skipped in behind Kato. Elena watched the door close and that was it.

She frowned and turned to see her youngest son smiling at her warmly. She nearly jumped out of her skin, but calmed at the sight of a guitar in his hand. She hadn't held one for years.

"Where did you get this?" She cooed and took it.

"I asked for one." He rocked on his feet, "can you play?" He tilted his head. The guitar was red, with green and brown designs all across it. It feigned an authentic Spanish guitar. She turned it in her hand. Was she ready to go back to a time like that?

"I'm not sure if I can." She smiled but sat down with it, "have you kids eaten?" She added, he nodded. That left only Kato to have not eaten. "Alright... go get a plate for him," she nodded to his door and Antonio nodded, making his way away and letting herself tune the guitar.

"Oh, you know how to use it." Odele peeked in with Bianca behind her.

"Who doesn't know how to use a guitar?" She returned and strummed it,

"Well we thought Antonio was lying when he told us you could play the guitar." He shrugged.

"Oh... I... wait, how can he say that?" She realised. There was a thud from behind Kato's door as Odele replied.

"Apparently your bodyguard said you could. So how come he gets to know but we don't?" He raised a brow.

"He's lying." She brushed off quickly. "But he isn't wrong." She played a small riff, though her nails were too long and she needed a pick.

"Brother!" Antonio knocked on his door and they all watched the door open. Slowly and painfully, it opened and Kato poked his head out, rubbing Antonio's head at the sight of him. "Food!" He grinned. Kato took it and nodded, going back in without sparing Elena another glance. He was good at ignoring. "Play a song!" The boy turned to his mother and bounced on his feet. She offered a song to the listening ears of her children and hummed along with it. It was nostalgia gone cynical. Back to a time where she had a brother to play the guitar with.

But it was good for her, she felt her muscles lose the tension and distaste she felt for herself from back to that day she last saw him. She had forgiven herself mostly, losing her brother just about equated to Adonis losing all of his half siblings himself (granted she loved her brother to the end of the world, and Adonis practically hated all of his half siblings). So she felt the sacrifice was worth where she was in life now. With four wonderful children finding their own way and a husband who loved her so unwaveringly; she didn't need to look back at a time where she didn't have them.

"The guitar?~" Sora left the boy's room and sat with them, "haven't heard you play one since high school." He grinned and sat down, looking up at Elena with the same smile he always had. Some people never changed. But Elena had. Looking at Kato, she felt she was the only one that had changed. He had a sense of relief and familiarity around even Sora, who was blatantly preying on him. But when he looked at, or spoke to Elena, she felt there was something stopping them. She remembered having that with herself and Adonis in high school when they were friends. But she moved past it with him and she hadn't been happier. She hoped the boy in his room could do the same.