loveless

Erin

“Master are you ready for your flight tomorrow? Will you need anything else?” Erin questioned standing in front of Takumi looking through the checklist he was holding. Takumi’s room had always been very plain. A huge room with only a bed, a closet and a desk. Leaving the rest of the wide area completely empty.

“You may go rest. You have done more than enough, Erin,” Takumi replied daintily, sitting on the couch crossed legged, looking just as empty as his room.

Erin was a twenty-four-year-old butler, who excelled at his job. He had always been with Takumi, ever since the Duke got him to take care of his eldest grandson. Before the duke could trust his abilities, he had to first undergo a training; to be a normal servant in the mansion before being a personal butler.

***

Seven years ago:

The sounds of the birds were filling Takumi’s room, waking him up to another indifferent day. He grabbed his phone and checked the time, which read as ten twenty. Takumi shoved off his blanket and placed his feet on the small rectangular carpet under his bed.

He left his room and headed towards the kitchen.

“Do you understand?”

“Yes!”

Takumi heard the head of the butlers- Alex, conversing with a foreign voice from in the kitchen. He got in and saw a young unfamiliar face, dressed as one of the butlers; a plain black suit with a grey neck tie.

The gazes turned at him while he walked to the fridge.

“Is this master Mikael?” the young butler whispered. He had one of his eyebrows raised and his lips slightly parted. “I didn’t know the young master was a very rational person.”

“No, he is the second grandchild of the duke. We were never instructed to do anything for him and he barely leaves his room, either to the library, to the gym or the kitchen. We almost never see him talking to the Duke either,” Alex whispered, trying to sound as low as possible.

“I-I see…”

Takumi could hear their whole conversation. He slammed the fridge shut, grabbing only a red apple and walked the way he came from.

“Hello, young master. My name is Erin. I am currently twelve years old and will be starting to work here as a butler from today onwards,” Erin said, stopping Takumi from leaving the kitchen. He had a wavy amber hair with round, pale light brown eyes.

“Ok, good luck,” Takumi responded artlessly.

“Master Takumi, I don’t intend to be rude for saying this, but it’s not healthy to eat a single apple for breakfast,” Erin said pointing at Takumi’s apple. Takumi’s face was expressionless and his eyes just focused on the apple, looking completely in a daze.

Alex rushed towards Erin and stood next to him. His face was extremely clutched and his eyes were widely open, fixated on Erin.

“Young master, please allow me to apologise for Erin’s nosiness instead. Please forgive him,” Alex said bowing down.

“I don’t understand what you are apologizing for,” said Takumi, looking at Alex indifferently. “Thanks Erin. I will try to change my diet. I am happy that you cared.” He smiled, brightening up his clear blue eyes, before walking back to his room.

***

“Do this over again!”

Takumi heard shouting from Mikael’s room as he was walking past it. He sounded very aggressive and irked.

“But this is already the fifth time I clean your room today, master,” Erin bawled. Seems like my brother is doing it again. It has already been two weeks. Isn’t he going to go a bit easy on him? Takumi was standing outside of the room, holding his plate with freshly cooked omelette and bacon in.

“I can’t see a single dirty place. Can you please tell me where I should clean?”

“I don’t know. I just don’t like the way the room looks or the way you clean it. Try to figure something out of that petty brain of yours!”

The door suddenly opened. Takumi was standing next to it when Mikael appeared in front of him. Mikael’s gaze turned towards him and bore through him. His emerald eyes turned slit at Takumi’s sight before he clicked his tongue.

“Your manners couldn’t get worst, can they?” he brushed his fingers through his golden hair strands.

“I was just passing by and…”

“There can never be an excuse for eavesdropping.” He grinned and looked down at his plate. Erin got out of the room and frowned at his sight. He had his thump raised to his teeth and was slightly biting on it.

“Are you getting the servants to prepare your filthy food now?”

“No, I made it myself – “

Mikael hastily rose his arm and slapped the dish out of Takumi’s humble, pale hands, scattering the dish fragments on the clear ground. The food splashed all over the floor. Takumi’s hands were still in the same position with his eyes wide open. His fingers started shacking as he held them on to each other to his belly.

Mikael had a wider grin on his front as he looked at Erin. “You better clean up this filth right away.” He turned back at Takumi putting his hands back to his black trousers’ pockets.  “A filthy brat should just starve to death, without the need to disgust others,” he said before he walked up the hall.

Erin’s lips were greatly separated and his thumb was stuck down his chin. He rushed towards Takumi, placing one of his knees on the floor to get to Takumi’s height and grabbed his shoulders.

“Are you okay, young master? You two are siblings! Why is he treating you this way?” Takumi brushed Erin’s hands off of him and walked towards the shattered fragments.

“This is normal. It has always been like this,” he said as he sat on his knees collecting the sharp pieces. Yes. This is my life and I have to live it through… somehow.

“Young master, you shouldn’t touch these you might get hurt.” Erin rushed to him after grabbing his vacuum cleaner.

“I will take care of this. Please go have some rest,” said Erin, throwing the shards in the plastic bag.

***

 It was almost noon. Takumi was holding his book and laying on his bed before he heard a knock on the door. He stood up and walked to the door. He pulled down the knob and pushed the door open.

Erin was standing outside holding a crowded plate with a different nutrition in each bowl. “Young master, you haven’t had breakfast or lunch. This is a meal that was cooked by the head chief for the family. I thought that I would get you some since you haven’t eaten anything.”

Takumi looked at the plate with blank eyes and looked down again.

“Don’t do unrequired tasks. You are my personal servant. I don’t want you to say a single word to that pile of filth there,” demanded Mikael as he was walking by. His eyes were as lifeless and dim as the morning. “Take that food back where you got it from. Actually you can eat it yourself.”

“But— “

“Now! You will only make things harder this way.”

Erin looked back at Takumi and clenched his grip around the plate. Takumi’s eyes were wet as he slammed the door shut and laid back down on his bed. Why am I so different from Mikael? Why am I alive? To suffer?

A few weeks later, Takumi could hear thriving footsteps thumping on the ground rapidly. He closed his laptop and opened a c***k in the door, taking a peak at the situation. All of the servants were heading upstairs in an uproar. He opened the door wider and got out of his room, heading to where most of the servants were standing.

 “You don’t know what you are talking about. Stop acting so selfishly!” Takumi heard Erin shouting as he got close to them. “Watch your mouth! How dare you talk to the heir—your master like that?” Erin’s mouth and nose were bleeding. Mikael started lifting his foot to his stomach height as he bent his knee. Takumi rushed in front of Erin and stood still, taking the kick fully on his chest. He fell to the ground, holding his chest tightly. His mouth was slightly bleeding.

 “Hey, what are you doing in my way, brat?” Mikael clicked his tongue and sighed boorishly.

“I don’t think you ought to be using this much force against a younger and weaker opponent. Isn’t that right Mikael,” advised Takumi. He placed one hand on the ground, passing all of his weight to it and the other covering his hemic mouth.

“You are so annoying! I will tell grandfather about all of this,” he demanded placing his right palm on his head. Takumi stood up taking a deep breath. He clenched his hands to his sides and straightened his back. His eyes were identical to Mikael’s usual glare.

“Ugh. This is a waste of time,” said Mikael walking to his room.

“Young master are you okay?” asked Alex as he was squeezing himself through the dazed crowd.

“The bleeding stopped so I should be fine,” Takumi responded.

“Shouldn’t we get you to the hospital?”

“No.”                                                     

The crowd started getting lighter as the hallway was soon empty. The beeping sound of Alex’s watch startled Erin back to reality.

“If you will excuse me young master, I will have to leave to prepare dinner now.” He gave a slight bow before walking down the stairs.

“Sorry… I am truly very sorry,” Erin said. He had his head bent down allowing his hair to cover up his face.

“I thought you knew better than to argue with a Walker,” said Takumi, removing his hand from his chest. “What did you do?”

 “I was talking to my mother on the phone as I was getting ready to clean his room and I accidently blurted the wrong words at the wrong time—while master Mikael was hearing me. I said that… it would have been g–great if master Mikael learned a thing or two from y –you,” he said before biting his lower lip.

Takumi brushed his sight away after releasing a deep sigh. “You are way too careless,” he mumbled walking back to his room.

A week later he heard tapping on his door, waking him from his deep slumber. What now? I guess my grandfather is back from his trip. He forced open his eyes and walked to the door. He stretched his arms before he opened the door, seeing Erin standing with a vacuum cleaner in his grip.

“From today onwards I am your personal butler!” said Erin with a wide smile painting his face. Takumi’s lips were motionless and his eyes were as clear as a spotless prime of the dawn.

“Master Mikael asked the Duke to make me your personal butler and to find him another servant. The duke was hesitant to comply at first but allowed at last as a favour to my father, who also served here before his death.”

Takumi stretched around his neck and looked at him in great grieve. What is he plotting? Is he yearning for another human puppet?

 “Master Mikael has some nice points.”

“You are too naïve,” mumbled Takumi, releasing a grave sigh.

“Sorry? What do you mean?” Erin didn’t look understanding of the situation but completely innocent.

“Nothing. Anyways, I don’t need a butler or such. Go do anything you like.” Takumi was about to close his room’s door when Erin held it open with his two hands right before it reached its lock.

“You told me to do whatever I want; I want to help you with your needs. I know I won’t be much help to you but allow me to do whatever I can,” Erin begged.

 “Suit yourself.”