"Kingsley, Ashur isn't answering my calls or replying to my texts!" Donald said. "What if something happened to him!? Last time he stopped responding, he was in the hospital because of that bastard Forrest Lee!"
"He's not responding to my calls or texts either," Alain spoke up.
"Nor mine," Kaia added.
"This is worrisome," Kingsley agreed with his boyfriend. "It's late and raining. We need to go and look for him,"
"Did something happen to Uncle Ash?" Kayden asked.
"I'm sure he's fine," Alain told his son. "Why don't I tuck you in and read you a bedtime story?"
"Okay," Kayden yawned and rubbed his eyes.
Donald's phone rang and he immediately answered it. "Ashur!"
"Uh, this is Jake,"
"What do you want?" Donald's tone became cold. "I'm busy right now,"
"Ashur's with me, at my house,"
"I'm coming over right away!" Donald was about to head out but stopped at Jake's words.
"Don't come yet. He doesn't want to go home. He's actually very distressed right now,"
"Then I should be going there to comfort him!"
"Donald, give him some space. He's not hurt physically, but emotionally...he's in a lot of pain. He came specifically to Kenny for comfort instead of you, so I think you shouldn't be here. At least wait until tomorrow,"
Donald tightened his grip on his phone. "Fine," He knew that Jake was right. Besides, the Ji's wouldn't hurt Ashur.
XXX
Ashur sat on the Ji's couch, sipping some hot cocoa with a warm blanket around him.
"You don't have to tell me what's wrong if you don't want to," Kenny said gently. "But I'm here to listen if you need me to,"
"Thanks Kenny," Ashur smiled weakly. "I'm just...tired,"
"You don't need to smile if you're not happy," Kenny told him. "You don't need to keep your mask up,"
"I...I am happy," But he didn't even sound convincing. "I have friends and family and food and shelter....so I'm happy,"
"Living doesn't always equate to happiness," Kenny said. "You've already been through a lot,"
Ashur's forced himself to continue to smile. "I'm okay, Kenny. I'm just tired," 'Why'd I even come here? I don't want to bother him with my problems,'
"Is this because people are comparing you to Donald again?"
Ashur's smile dropped and Kenny knew he had hit the bull's-eye.
"On the Shuttle Patch forums, people have been comparing you and Donald ever since it became public that the two of you were twin brothers," Kenny said. "I know you wouldn't read those things since you don't go on the Shuttle Patch that much, but you would probably still be able to hear your classmates talking about you at school,"
"They keep expecting so much from me," Ashur's voice quivered. "They all think I'll be super smart or super strong like Donald. But I'm neither of those things. I had to repeat freshman year. At first, I was kinda happy when Donald came with me to school so I could introduce him to my friends, but now I'm regretting it. I hate being compared to him! Ever since we were born, we've always been compared to each other! I get it, okay? I'm the stupid one! I'm the weak one! I just want everyone to shut up and stop pointing out the obvious!"
"You're not stupid or weak," Kenny told him. "You're not Donald so of course you're not going to be exactly like him," He patted Ashur's back. "You know, even though Jake and I aren't twins like you and Donald, we still get compared to each other. Even before I got injured, Jake was stronger than me. I'll admit, I was kind of jealous. I was older but he was stronger. But I didn't let it get to me and continued living as myself. You're not Donald Na. You're Ashur Na,"
"That's not the only thing that's bothering me," Ashur chugged down the rest of his coca. "Nobody would tell me how I lost my arm. I don't have any memory of what happened. All I remembered was waking up in a hospital and my left arm was gone,"
"Whatever happened was very traumatic," Kenny said. "You coped with it by locking it away in your mind,"
"I know, but..." Ashur sighed. "I deserve to know. I want to know. It involved me. Kenny, if you could forget about how your leg got injured, would you?"
"No, because then I wouldn't know the reason why Jake joined the Yeongdeungpo Union," Kenny answered. "I would have had enough info to figure things out though,"
"I want to know who destroyed my arm," Ashur said with determination. "I don't really mind when Donald keeps secrets from me, but this secret involves me," He let out a tired yawn.
"Why don't you go and head to bed?" Kenny suggested. "You could use the rest,"
"Okay," Ashur nodded and headed up to the guest room.
Kenny took out his phone and dialed Donald's number. "Jake already told you that Ashur's here, right?"
"Yeah. Do you know why Ashur's acting this way?"
"Everyone's comparing him to you again. It's the same as last year and middle school. But that's not the only thing that's bothering him,"
"Is he being bullied?"
"No. He's upset that you're not telling him how he lost his arm,"
"It's better for him not to remember,"
"You told him that, but he wants to know. You can't keep it a secret from him forever,"
"Yes I can,"
"Donald, Ashur's old enough to handle the truth,"
"It'll only stress him out,"
"Life is full of stress, but he'll get through it. He has his family and friends to comfort him when he needs to be comforted,"
"I'll...think about it,"
Kenny is the best brother.