Chapter Text
The cries of a child matched that of the depressing atmosphere.
It was a gloomy weather. The gray clouds covered the whole sky, not letting a single light pass through. It was supposed to be sunny, a happy little weather, at least that's what the forecast said. However, it seemed to changed its mind and decided a different course over the event being held today.
Cale—or rather, Keiru—was attracted by the sound of his twin brother's cries. He raised his head and looked towards his brother whose tears were gushing like waterfall and the neverending snot coming out of his nose.
Cale doesn't get easily emotionally affected and when he does, he tries to hide it. But perhaps because of the scene of his twin brother crying in front of him at this moment, a tiny 4-year-old child who had recently lost his parents, someone so fragile and needed comfort, Cale could not help but feel extremely helpless and sorry for his brother.
"Yuuji... Yuuji, don't cry..." Cale had a sad expression on his face as he said softly. He wiped his brother's tears away with his hand, not minding that some of the snot had gotten stuck to him as he tried to comfort the child.
The two children were in a huge room. Behind them were people of familiar and unfamiliar faces. In front them... were two caskets placed next to each other.
The two caskets had each picture on top. One was showing a black-haired woman with stitches on her forehead and the other showing a man with pink hair and glasses. Judging from the facial similarities between the two children and the deceased man, it was evident whose identities these two dead people belonged to.
Itadori Kaori. Itadori Jin.
Yuuji looked at the people in the pictures he will never see again, and said between each sniffs, "But Keiru...mama... and papa... They're gone... They won't come back... It's just the two of us now..."
Cale and Yuuji never had imagined that they would become orphans. To Cale, whose parents had died when he was young in his first two lives, this was a big blow to him. Especially now that he is no longer a single child as he was once and he has a brother who needs him, is dependent on him.
Cale admit that their parents' death had a big impact on him.
It was reported to be a car accident. A truck swerved and collided with the car their parents were in. It was an instant death for all the parties present so nobody suffered in their last moments.
When Cale heard this, he turned pale from the shock. It reminded him of one of his previous lives when his parents died of the same cause when he was Kim Rok Soo. At that time, Kim Rok Soo was also very young when he became an orphan and he was later then adopted by his abusive uncle.
The redhead sighed at his brother's words and responded heavily, "What are you talking about? There's still grandpa. You know grandpa will take very good care of us. He promised us. He's actually very nice."
Yes. Very nice. Much much nicer than his abusive uncle. That he can tell.
Yuuji doesn't seemed convinced as he spoke back with a deflating tone, "But Grandpa hates mama..."
Hate? More like distrustful.
Cale knew why but Yuuji didn't, and Cale doesn't intend to tell him that. He doesn't want to shatter the only remaining ties between Yuuji and their mother if he did that. That would only break Yuuji's heart.
Cale shook his head, "But that doesn't mean he hates us."
Just like Jin who wanted to have kids of his own, Wasuke also wanted to have grandkids he could spoil.
Wasuke may have been cautious towards his daughter-in-law, but he has never treated his grandchildren with the same disrespect as her. In fact, he loved his grandchildren very much even though they were born from the woman he disliked the most.
Cale remembered what their grandfather said to them two days ago:
"Keiru, Yuuji. I promise you this. I will never abandon you or leave you as long as I live. I promise to you and your parents that I will always take care of you."
At that time, Yuuji was did not pay attention much while Cale was listening carefully to their grandfather's words. After saying those words, Wasuke knelt in front them and hugged them both as he cried over the death of his one and only beloved son.
To lose one's father. To lose one's son. How much could a person endure such a heartbreak?
Cale, who rarely ever cries, could not help but let out the emotions he had been holding back for the past few days. Tears began to slip from his eyes as he spoke with resolute.
"Yuuji. Even if no one take cares of us, I will take care of you. As your brother, this is my promise I will never break."
For the sake of the two of them, for the sake of his brother, Cale will become the pillar that will support both his and brother's entire lives.