First Breakfast with the family

"Brother, did you miss me?" Clar raced towards Lyre and held his hand in hers.

Rain who was standing next to Lyre gave way for her to do as she pleased.

Lyre didn't say a word as he watched her. However, he was amused at how lovely the girl was.

It made him wish to have a life like this where he won't be worried about anything.

"Last night when I came to visit you, Rain didn't allow me to touch you. What a bully!" She frowned at Rain, whose eyes were on their joined hands.

He had his hands balled to the side as he narrowed his eyes at them.

"Can you let your brother have a breathing space, Clar?" The mother watched them with a smile.

Jewel and the father were already seated, waiting for them to arrive, for them to commence with breakfast.

"Why? I didn't get to spend time with my brother. It's not fair!" She frowned with a pout.

"What's not fair?" Rain frowned at her. "Don't you know you can be suffocating most times?"

"Who said so?" She narrowed her eyes at her brother, "stop making words up!"

"Who said I'm making words up?" Rain pursed his lips.

"Whatever." Clar happily tugged Lyre towards the chair he sat on last night, while Rain followed them, with his anger visible, and his fists, balled to the side.

The mother watched them interact with her brows furrowed, but she said no words. She kept her assumptions to herself in case she might be wrong.

Lyre sat next to Clar who was sitting by his left while Rain sat by his right.

Jewel watched them but said no words. Her current problem wasn't with them, but with her friends, who ditched her last night to go to a party.

"I made sure I prepared something simple since I don't know what you eat." The mother said before she opened the plates of steaming doughnuts and waffles. The remaining cookies were on the other plates.

"If you don't want cereal, Rain can help you with juice, coffee, or tea."

"Which will you prefer?" Rain turned to Lyre just at the same time, Clar did the same.

"Why are you suddenly been nosy? My brother won't say a word to you." Clar narrowed her eyes at Rain.

"You make it seem like I'm not your brother." Rain rolled his eyes at their last born.

"Of course, you are not my brother! I only have one brother, and that's Lyre!" She placed her head on Lyre's arm and made to snuggle.

"You don't have to be so mean." Jewel rolled her eyes at their sister.

"Who's mean? You are the meanie!"

"Okay, let's eat." The mother decided to come to the rescue.

"But, mom—"

"Can't you see how terrified your brother is?"

At their mother's words, Rain and Clar turned at the same time, only to see Lyre watching them with interest.

"Are you okay?" Rain gently asked Lyre.

Lyre nodded but didn't say a word.

He has indeed gotten used to having Rain around, but the same can't be said for the other members of the household.

He's still afraid of them. Rain and Clar are the only ones he has gotten used to in the short time he has been here.

"Let's eat if there's nothing else to discuss," Jewel said as she joined her hands in prayer, and the others followed suit.

This time, Lyre didn't just watch them, he joined his hands.

However, he didn't understand a word of what she said.

*************

"Are you free today?" The mother asked Rain when she stood to take the plates into the kitchen. The father also stood at the same time, to help her.

"Yes, is there a problem?"

Although Rain knows exactly what she wanted to ask about, he made it seem as if he doesn't.

"Can you take Lyre to the mall? He doesn't have any clothes, so I was won—"

"I will take him."

"Why will he go to the mall alone with my brother? I'm going with them!" Clar placed a hand on her waist. "I don't trust Rain a bit. I bet he's trying to have my brother to himself!" She pouted.

"Is that true?" Rain pursed his lips.

"I'm leaving. See you guys later." Jewel rose from the chair she was sitting on and walked towards the door.

"Bye, darling."

"Don't overwork!" The father shouted before she banged the door behind her. "I don't understand why she wants to work. It's not as if I'm not taking care of her."

"You can say she wants her freedom." The mother shrugged as she carried the plates into the kitchen, with the husband hot on her toes.

"I can't believe I got ignored," Clar face Palmed.

"That's what you get for being stubborn." Rain folded his arms, "you are too nosy for a girl of—"

"I'm not a girl! I'm a lady if you don't know." She frowned at Rain before she turned to Lyre, "I'm coming with you guys, Lyre."

"No, you won't. I'm taking him shopping. You don't have to tag along. If you need to go somewhere, you can follow our parents to work.

They won't mind."

"No! I'm going with you guys. Let me go and tell mom!" She ran towards their kitchen.

"How did that girl become my sister?" Rain sighed as he watched her.

"What's the mall?"

With the family gone, Lyre was free to ask. This way, no one will fault him for speaking.

"You don't know what the mall is?" Rain was once more shocked at how strange Lyre was.

"No."

"Then, don't worry, we will go there in the afternoon. I will show you what a shopping mall is."

"Is it a house?"

"You can say that. However, it's larger than this house. There are many things in there. You will be quite surprised."

"Who are you speaking with?" Clar furrowed when she entered the dining room.

She wasn't early enough to hear Lyre speak, so she assumed Rain was speaking to himself.

"None of your business, nosy girl." Rain snapped at her.