HIDEOUS

A knock interrupted Sieraj from reading her favorite book. She blankly stare at the door before she walked and open it. She was then welcomed by one of the maids in the house. "Shieraji-san, Akira-sama ga anata o sagashiteimasu. Kanojo wa niwa ni imasu. " (Sieraj-san, Akira-sama is looking for you. She is at the garden.) The maid said while bowing her head. "Hai. Sugu ni ikimasu. " (Yes. I'll be there in a minute.) Sieraj smiled then closed the door. It's rare for aunt Akira to call me. Sieraj thought while putting a bookmark in between the pages where she stopped reading before she put it back on the shelf. She checked herself in the mirror before she leave her room and walked her way to the garden. •~•~•~•~• "Aunt Akira." She smiled at her aunt when she spotted her. Her aunt cheerfully waved and smiled back at her. "Sieraj. Come, sit. I have something to tell you but don't be mad, okay?" She frowns at what her aunt just said. Curiousity is plastered all over her face. "Your mother called me the other day. She told me if it's okay for you to stay for at least one week on their house and I told her to wait for your response. So?" She let out a sigh and drink the tea. "I don't want to waste my time. Two or three days is okay for me, " she said and smiled to her aunt. "I still have some things to do." "Like reading books all day? Sieraj I told you already to go out and interact with other people. It's not good for you to just stay at home all day." Sieraj looked down as she don't want to see the sadness of her aunt's eyes. Ever since her grandparents death she didn't interact with other people and just locked herself at her aunt's house. "I also want to go out and freely roam around, aunt Akira. But......" Sensing her being uncomfortable, her aunt holds her hand. She looked up just to see her aunt reassuringly smiled at her. "Alright. I won't try to talk about you going out and interacting with people again. Anyways, you'll stay 2-3 days at your parents house, right? I already booked you a flight to the Philippines. Please be safe. I'll have some bodyguard tag along with you. Don't forget to tell your cousins and your uncle." She smiled at her aunt. "Nah. Might as well keep it a secret from them. I'm sure they'll freak out once they find out that I'm in the Philippines." Her aunt giggled at what she said. "Oh come on. Let them rest. They already have enough last year." "Alright alright. I'm just kidding. I actually plan on telling them later. " Her aunt smiled and started eating the cake. She did the same while sipping the tea and enjoying the peacefulness she felt. •~•~•~•~• "Aunt Akira still hasn't called Ma?" From looking down at her phone, Alessandra looked up at her eldest son, Elijah Kael. "No response from her. Let's just wait. She might—" —DING— Alessandra hurriedly open her phone to check if Akira responded. From: Akira Got a positive response but she'll stay 2-3 days there. I already booked her an early flight tomorrow. Expect her to arrived at 6 in the morning. "Is that aunt Akira, Ma? What did she say?" Her second son, Maxx Tarek, sits next to her and looked at her phone. "Oh my God! Did we get a positive response, Ma? Did Sieraj agreed to stay here?" Her first daughter, Sariah Elyse, peeked at the kitchen door. Alessandra smiled brightly at her children. "We're expecting her to arrive at 6 in the morning. She'll stay 2-3 days here." "Is she taking someone with her? I mean a bodyguard." Kael asked. —DING— From: Akira And there are 3 bodyguards with her. "Sabi ni aunt Akira may kasama daw siyang bodyguard. There are 3 bodyguard in total," Maxx said while looking at her mother's phone. "She also said that she'll stay 2-3 days here. " "What?! I expect her to stay for one week. " Eyse said while still peeking at the kitchen's door. "That's more than enough for me. Well then, shall we prepare some foods for tomorrow?" Alessandra tried to brighten the atmosphere. Elijah, Maxx, and Elyse agreed while smiling to her. •~•~•~•~• "Kumpleto na ba tayong lahat?" Airo looked around the room to see if all of his brothers are present. "Alright brothers. I overheard Sieraj and Mom earlier in the garden. Pupunta si Sieraj sa Pilipinas and she will stay there for 2-3 days. And of course, as clingy as we are to her hindi tayo papayag na malayo sa'tin ang prinsesa natin. Also I think Mom and Dad will be out of the country." "What? If that's the case then let's pack our stuff Kuya." Ryouji said immediately. Tumango naman ang kambal niyang si Kyouri. "I agree. Let's pack our stuff immediately. Hindi naman siguro payag si Dad na tayo lang ang nandito. He won't entrust the house to us, especially with the troublemaker twins." Akita said earning a complain and glare by the twins. "That's right. Teka, sasama ba si Kuya Aki? He's the most trusted beside me and Akita." "Sinasabi mo ba na hindi ako mapagkakatiwalaan, huh? Enzo? Well you're wrong, brother. Among all of us, I am the second most trusted. You hear me?" Hindi pinansin ni Enzo si Airo at bumaling kay Akita. "Magdadala ka ba ng maraming damit or is it just good for three days?" "I'll bring some extra clothes. Who knows what our cousins are thinking? Baka may biglang magyayang gumala kundi mag-beach. Mabuting na 'yong handa." "Oh. You're right." Airo, being ignored by Enzo, take a deep breath and calm himself. Calm down, Airo. Kapatid mo 'yan. After calming himself down, he continue on talking. "Alright. As what we talked about earlier, we'll pack our stuffs and we will do it secretly. Ayaw niyo naman sigurong mag-stay mag-isa dito sa bahay kasama ang mga maids, 'di ba? So please don't act dumb and tell it to the maids. Hindi sa pinapakinggan ko kayong kambal ha, pero parang ganon na din." Kyouri and Ryouji just glared at him while Airo smiled like he didn't say anything offensive to the twins at all. "Is this a-very-boring-and-unmeaningful-meeting done already? I still have to pack my luggage." Akita didn't wait for Airo's answer and just abruptly stand-up then walk to the door without looking back. Enzo did the same and followed Akita walking out of the room. Airo just sighed and looked at the twins. "You may go out now. I have nothing to say anyway." "Okay. Puntahan lang namin si Sieraj." . . . . . . Sieraj excuses herself and sneezes. Someone must be talking about me. A maid handed her a handkerchief so she thanked her in return.