The Reaper's New Beginning

4. The Reaper's New Beginning (4)

Soon enough, the large table was full of savory foods and sweet delicacies. Asher's eyes widened as he immediately stared at the servants in astonishment. His voice shaking, he blurted out, "Z-Zara! Isn't that too much?"

Since he came from a family that barely had any food on the table, his heart swelled up in happiness after seeing the mouth-watering feast. However, he felt guilty. So much food was going to be wasted because of him. His eyes welled up with tears at the thought of the servant's throwing away the scrumptious meal.

Zara shook her head while looking at her young master with a serious expression, her shiny purple eyes resembling fully bloomed lilacs. "Young Master Asher, it is my duty to make sure you are being taken care of. This is just a small portion of food."

After listening to her words, Asher nodded hesitantly before picking up the metal cutlery. He ate silently, the guilt of wasting so much food weighing him down.

Kio had been observing both Asher's movements and his behavior since they bumped into each other in the halls. The Asher he knew was shy and quiet. He always tried his best to hide his presence, but it seems that this boy's demeanor had drastically changed overnight. The atmosphere around him wasn't warm and inviting, but it also wasn't cold nor rigid. He carried himself with elegance and confidence, something he didn't possess before. His posture was relaxed, but he still maintained a dignified air around him.

The Asher Kio knew had dull blue eyes that were only full of helplessness. Now, his striking dark blue eyes shone with deep allure. The pair of eyes Asher possessed was full of emotion. Happiness, guilt, purity, and hope. Kio couldn't tear his gaze away from such a beautiful sight.

Finally noticing his brother's piercing gaze, Asher gulped nervously. Maybe he was hungry?

Stretching his short yet frail-looking arms towards Kio, Asher held a small, vanilla-flavored cupcake in front of his aloof elder brother. The servants that were watching this unexpected display were stupefied. Their eyes widened significantly in alarm as Young Master Kio frowned. Their second young master loathed vanilla.

One servant, in particular, was about to reprimand Asher for his carelessness. When he was about to open his mouth to inform the youngest child of his mistake, a sharp glare was sent his way. The middle-aged servant involuntarily shivered under such a piercing glare and he immediately backed down after seeing that it was Kio who was watching him with a warning look in his eyes.

Seeing Kio frown, Asher frowned as well. He was completely unaware of the intensity of Kio's gaze.

"Do you not like vanilla? Would elder brother prefer a chocolate cupcake?"

Kio nodded, making Asher smile cheerfully. Thank god the problem was about the flavor of the cupcakes! He wouldn't even dare imagine what would happen if he managed to offend his elder brother... Asher shivered at the thought. Maybe getting close to Kio wouldn't be as difficult as he had previously assumed. His life here would be much better after receiving Kio's acceptance.

The cupcakes were placed in an organized manner on a porcelain plate. The only difference between the sweet delights were the flavors and the color of the frosting. After a bit of consideration, Asher picked up a chocolate cupcake with an ice blue frosting.