For His Happiness

Chapter 1: Strangers starting out on a Journey

They love each other, and I love them. Although, one of them damaged my spirit and flesh because of a certain reason, and he left a scar of bitter loathing within my soul, poisoning my sanity through thinking that unwanted reminiscence... but in the end, I averted my own revulsion from the man who nearly killed me. Yes, we already forgiven each other, and I found myself praying for his happiness, especially with his husband...

* * *

Alfred F. Jones was one of the most popular boys in high school for his looks, unusual qualities, and even his background history. He was a youngster at the age of sixteen with blond hair, light skin, flashing blue eyes behind the silver frame of his glasses, and the notable strand that always sticks up from his hair, all sum up together with his unbounded smile to define his persona: jovial, independent, optimistic, feisty, and any other qualities of a summer's child.

He is, somehow, the opposite to his twin Matthew, who has a longer blond hair, same eyes except that he has a slight shade of violet mix in blue behind those glasses, and his perceptible strand is curlier than Alfred's. He may look alike his brother, but Matthew is more reserved, shy, quiet, and calm. However, the tragedy of Matthew's character is the fact that only a few people notice him, and that includes Alfred himself.

In a long history, Alfred and Matthew were both six when they witnessed their mother's death. Alfred never told me the cause of her loss, and probably never will. They have no trace of their father's identity whatsoever, their deceased mother never mentioned him on any account until they read her memoir that the man left her out of spite when she was pregnant.

By the time they became orphans, they were placed under the care of a family friend, Arthur Kirkland. A British in his late-twenties with a messy blonde hair, and eerie green eyes underneath his obviously big eyebrows, he lived in his own house alone without any priorities of getting a wife (or a husband). But when chances came that he must take responsibility on raising two boys in their salad days, Arthur decided to call Francis Bonnefoy, his long-time friend and rival whom he called "Frog" due to being French and sometimes called him as "sloppy and annoying", while in reality, he considered Francis to be "undeniably handsome" with his long golden hair tied with a blue ribbon, his subtle beard, and rare violet-blue eyes that seek passion. Arthur invited him to his place, and conceivably, suggested him to live with them since Francis was living in an uncomfortably small apartment and Arthur needed someone to cook for them (because as much as Arthur hates to admit it, he doesn't know how to cook, even a simple boiled egg).

For ten years, Arthur and Francis raised Alfred and Matthew together, almost like a family given that the British and the French usually bicker whenever they feel like it, but the younger ones managed to get used to it over time until they saw this as a daily ritual.

But this story doesn't end here. If truth be told, this is just the beginning.

* * *

It all began in New York during the middle of the season when the jade-colored leaves morphed their colors into orange with tints of red, complimenting the sun's golden rays. It was Alfred's second day as a sophomore in high school. They didn't do much in the first day like starting the first unit since the teachers must get to know their student, especially their names in which some confused an Anthony with an Eric or a Samantha with an Emily. At the same time, the school decided to let you hang out with other students, more or less. And get their phone numbers in case of an emergency. Let's just say, the whole day was just a post-summer-vacation moment. Now that it was the second day, for Alfred, it was the epoch of turning point in his life...