Uncle Gordon surely knew how make it hell for me.
Not that that's anything new though.
The moment he recieved the papers until this very moment, he knew the outcome of this whole thing. He knew I'll take custody of Mira. He knew he'd end up in jail by the end of this... but he also knew exactly what steps to take to make this the worst for me and for Mira.
It didn't seem like he consumed any sort of drugs in the past one month and a half since I admitted the papers and he rarely drank. I haven't seen him high or drunk since and I've met him A LOT. He was sober which alone is terrifying. How did he even manage it? I'm sure he is currently suffering with a lot of withdrawn symptoms but why would he go this far to make it difficult for me? He surely had a mental issue.
Standing on this wooden panel, looking at him for the past 15 minutes and having to speak up against him infront of dozens of people made me feel sick and I wanted to leave. This has been going on for too long. Uncle Gordon's blood sample proved that he hasn't taken any sort of drug recently which was an attack to my claim that he was "addicted". Even if he consumed them in the past, is he really an addict? This was so ridiculous. The judge was waiting for more evidence and I was reaching my limit.
Doctor Lyle has spoken as a witness on Uncle Gordon's absuse, mentioning that he's seen me several times with bruises caused by him. He also mentioned that every time Mira was in need of medicine or some sort of hospital check, even the surgery, I was the one who paid for it, showing proof written on all the medical reports.
Sir Grayson was there too. He spoke up and mentioned that I have been working in his restaurant for the past three years to get enough money for myself and Mira for basic needs that our guardian should've been providing us.
Uncle Gordon had one of his friends lie and say that he saw me stealing Uncle Gordon's money a while back, accusing me of constantly doing it. Me denying that just caused a lot more discussion and made this a lot longer to the point where I actually regretted denying it.
But right now, the moment I was dreading came. I was originally moody, angry, annoyed, fed up, pissed off and feeling every possible negative emotion but when the judge started speaking about Mira's guardianship, not about the necessities that one needs to bring up a child, but more of the child's desire and I knew that meant Mira getting involved, my stomach suddenly started hurting, a nervous feeling kicking in my gut. My hands started sweating and I leaned down on the wooden panel, breathing out nervously, my eyes set on Lucas who was carrying sleeping Mira. He looked at me and I just numbly nodded so he started softly shaking her awake. Mira was carried out of Lucas's arms and it took a her a second to properly wake up and realize, throwing herself to the right and opening her arms towards Lucas, trying to get away from the stranger carrying her. It would've been biased for Lucas or Jun to be the one getting her to the front so this man volunteered to do it. I bought my hand to my mouth and bit my thumb nervously as Mira's eyes started watering and she stretched her arm to Jun now, whinning to grab his attention. Jun looked clearly guilty. When the man started walking away, she suddenly burst into tears and screamed, pushing the man's face away. I groaned guiltily cuz it was my fault she's involved in all this and ran a hand through my hair.
Mira turned around and before her eyes came on me, it came on Uncle Gordon and she suddenly froze, her face going white as she shut up. I wanted to shout out to her but that would be cheating. Slowly, her chest started lifting and lowering as her breath became short and quick and her hands started shaking. She wasn't getting enough air and her face was turning red in panic. She bought her hand over her mouth and covered it like what I do to her whenever she has a panic attack. But the panic attack didn't stop, she just kept on breathing heavily over and over again. She knows that if she makes noise infront of Uncle Gordon means I get hurt so she looked like she was trying so hard not to let out any sound.
She needed her inhaler and it was going to drive me crazy, making me cover my face. I hated seeing this way more than I hated seeing Gordon's face.
With hyperventilating, she started crying again as the man put her down infront the judge to pick either me or Gordon. Mira couldn't even stand, instantly crumbling on the ground and bending forwards, hiding her face, letting out quick small sobs.
"Come on, darling. Come here my love." I heard Uncle Gordon say. I glared at him with all the hatred I could muster as he just smirked back at me. Upon hearing his voice, Mira shivered and held her head tightly, shaking it.
She let out a noise and at first I couldn't hear it but after she kept on repeating it, I realized that she was actually speaking. Mira was saying something. My Mira is speaking.
And she was saying my name.
"Yun," she cried "Yun! Yun!" She whispered on and on. She wasn't pronouncing the 'n' properly and was stressing on the 'u'. My heart beat became faster as I covered my mouth with my shaking hand, my eyes going blurry. I found myself leaning at the wooden panel for assistance.
"Mira?" I said, in a quivering muffled voice. She suddenly froze and sat up, looking at me with water-sacked eyes and a red nose, her breath held.
"Y-y-yuuuuuun!" She scrambled up on her feet only to trip and fall, trying to stand again, walking to me with her arms open wide. There was a small step that she tripped on again, hitting her face against the ground but she just sat up, rubbed her nose and started walking again as her cries got louder, the fall obviously hurting.
That's it.
I got up and left the place I'm supposed to stand in and went to her. Mira burst into loud tears and stopped walking, raising her arms and closing her eyes. I picked her up instantly and hugged her tighter than I've ever hugged her before. She was so small, oh my God, so small and I never want to let go. I can feel her hugging me tightly back, crying out freely into my shoulder as she pulled on my jacket.
"Shh," I whispered, running a hand down her hair and kissing her head. I'm sorry Mira. I'm so sorry.
Mira said my name.
Mira said my name.
Just remembering it made my eyes water again. I really couldn't believe it.
"Well, we're gonna repeat it aren't we?" Uncle Gordon said oh so casually "He moved out of his spot. You said he wasn't supposed to."
When he spoke up, Mira tensed and tightened her grip on my clothes, screaming into my shoulder. I ripped the hearing aid off her ear and glared at him.
"I swear to God if you don't shut up, I'll be the one–"
"Enough." The judge interuppted.
"So, will we repeat?" Gordon asked but seemed visibly disappointed when he realized Mira was not panicking. That bastard probably doesn't even know she's deaf.
"Silence." The judge looked at him sharply. "Yun Roosevelt," he said my full name.
"Yes." I replied
"You moved out of your spot."
"Yes.." I looked down. If he tells me to put her down and go back to spot so that it's "fair", I don't think I'll be able to.
"Why?"
"She was having a panic attack."
"I noticed. Why do you think?"
I looked at Uncle Gordon "She's scared of him."
"She's scared of her own father?"
"Yes."
"Can you prove that?"
Yes I can but why the hell would I do that to her, you asshole?! I breathed out to calm down "Yes." I replied. The judge gave me a look that meant 'then do it' and I bit my bottom lip.
I breathed in and out a few times "This is Mira's hearing aid." I showed him "She's deaf. If she merely hears his voice, she will have a violent reaction."
The judge waited for me to actually show it.
I closed my eyes and cursed him in my head. I knew judges didn't have emotions but are they blind too?? Did he not see her a few seconds ago??
I placed her hearing aid on and looked at her face, brushing her hair off her face and wiping her tears. "Mira," I whispered "It's alright, I'm here."
She sniffed twice and hugged me, hiding her face into my shoulder. The judge was facing Uncle Gordon, waiting for him to speak up.
"Well this isn't very fair is it?" He said. Instantly, without one second pause, Mira tightened her grip on me, making me wince as she screamed and started shaking her head.
"Nooooo!" She cried "Yun! Yun! Yun!" Her hands were shaking and it physically hurt my heart, seeing her like this.
"Shh," I whispered "I'm here, I promise."
"This does hurt, doesn't it?" The bastard kept on speaking as Mira's screams became louder and her head shaking became more vigorous. "As a father, my feelings are hurt. Imagine you were in my place" he addressed the judge. This was all one big joke to him.
I removed her hearing aid and glared at him. Had Mira not been in my arms I really think I would've attacked him. I felt like choking him, like stabbing him, like killing him and honestly I don't think I will feel an ounce of guilt.
Suddenly, the noise I've been wishing for earlier and dreading right now sounded. The sound of the wooden gavel. The judge has made a decision. I held my breath and faced him.
__
"Yun!" Jun attacked me after I left, pulling me and Mira into a tight hug and honestly, I really didn't mind it right now, grinning and hugging him back. "You did it!"
"I did." I smiled "Finally."
"You've adopted Mira!" Jun pulled away and ruffled Mira's hair "That's so great! Congrats!"
"Thank you."
"This needs celebrating!" Lucas interuppted our little brother moment, coming between us as he pulled Mira from my arm, twirling her around. "Right, kid??"
Mira gave him a small smile before it dropped and she looked at me, opening her arms. I had a feeling that what happened a while back will make her extra clingy for the next few days and I really didn't mind. I took her from Lucas as he smiled in understanding.
"Also, she said your name." Lucas looked at me as I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from grinning like an idiot.
"Yeah." I whispered, hugging her tightly.
"And you cried." Lucas raised his eyebrows in surprise "I mean, Yun?? Crying?? I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it myself."
"Shut up. I didn't." I looked the other way.
"Miraaa!" Lucas called "Say Yun."
Mira looked at Lucas before looking at me, giving a small smile and saying oh so adorably "Yun!" In her very small sweet voice.
Oh, God.
I think I'm dead.
Mira found Lucas laughing so she covered her mouth and giggled, throwing her head on my shoulder and whispering "Yun." Again.
"Princess, please, stop." I covered my face and put her down on the ground as I covered my face. Seriously Yun? Crying again?? Woooww you really are a wimp.
"Cuuuuteeeee." I heard Lucas and Jun say as they looked at each other, both of them laughing.
"Shut up." I whispered before throwing my head up and looking at worried Mira "Princess," I started "Say Lucas."
She looked at my mouth and tried to copy it.
"Luuuuu–cas." I showed her
She spent a few moments whispering it in a voice I can't hear before throwing her hands in the air, looking at Lucas and exclaiming "Wuuuuuu-kas!"
"Awh, so cute!" I pulled her and hugged her tightly as Lucas grabbed his heart and whispered a small 'ouch'.
"I can see why you cried, yeah, that was adorable." Lucas smiled "Say it again."
Mira looked at me so I said his name again and she instantly said afterwards "Wuuukas!" Her smile was so bright when she saw all of our reactions. "Wuuukas," she pointed at Lucas "Yun!" She pointed at me.
"That's right."
She pointed at Jun and tilted her head.
"Jun." I told her "My twin brother! You've got to say his name!"
She looked deeply at my mouth
"Jun"
"Chun?"
"No no," I laughed "Jun."
"Chun." She concluded, pointing at Jun "Chun!" She ran over and hugged him before running back to me and pointing at Sir Grayson who was standing beside us, smiling this entire time. I've gotten used to him in the past month and a half since I've spent a lot of time with him.
"Urrr," I looked at him and smiled uncertainly "Sir Grayson?"
Mira's smile dropped. She was so confused. How the hell was she supposed to say that??
Sir Grayson laughed "Kyle." He said. Mira brightened and ran to him, pulling on his jacket so that he can bend down before staring at his lips as he repeated "Kyle."
"Kaaaai." She said, looking at me for confirmation "Kai?"
"No." I laughed "Kyle."
"Kai!"
"No no. Llll, KyLe." I stressed on the "l"
"Lllllkai!"
I sighed "Okay, Kai I guess."
"Kai." She grinned. "Umm, Kai! Chun! Wu–" she stopped and looked at me as I whispered 'Lucas'. "Ah! Wuukas!"
"Yes!"
"Yun!" She ran to me, her hands raised so I carried her and got up.
"Thats me!" I kissed her cheek as she laughed out loud "And now, say Mira."
She placed her hand on my lip so that I repeat it. "Mira, princess, Meeeeeera."
She stayed silent for a while then laughed and shook her head, thumping it down on my shoulder "Nooo." She told me.
"Come on, try." I urged her
She moved her lips a few times to try and grasp the word before she signed the word 'tired' to me and smiled cheekily, closing her eyes and resting on shoulder to fake sleep.
"Mira!" I exclaimed as the rest of them laughed. This kid, so mischievous, seriously. I love her.
Sir Grayson drove us back to his house and the moment we entered my room, Jun asked Lucas to borrow his laptop, already thinking ahead, about getting Mira and I a passport so that we can travel since we have never done so before.
"You know, without you," Lucas started "Yun wouldn't have gotten anything done. Both him and I procrastinate everything."
I laughed "Yeah."
"I wasn't born like this." Jun shrugged "It's just the kind of life I had to lead in the past six years."
I scratched the back of my head "Jun," I started "Do you...um, hate Aunt Wilma?"
"Yeah." He replied so simply, typing something, distracted. Jun doesn't hate. It made me feel uneasy.
"Do you still, um," how do I say this? "Have trouble in school? I mean, you're done with school, but like, this year. The past year."
Jun paused, looked at me then gave me a weird smile that was genuine but close to a laugh "Yun, you're stuttering?"
I blushed and frowned instantly "N-no!"
"He's really worried, aw." Lucas explained
"I can tell." Jun smiled at Lucas as they both shared a cheeky grin.
"Shut up both of you!" I huffed, making Mira giggle.
"No no wait, I'll answer, don't you want to know?" Jun said slyly, tilting his head. Despite being really embaressed right now, I noticed his childish behaviour, something he did whenever he was happy when we were young boys.
"No!" I said instantly "I mean–yes, whatever, you know."
Jun chuckled as Lucas threw his head backwards on the sofa he was sitting on and laughed without noise. What a weird guy.
"I didn't have trouble in the past two years in school." Jun started, going back to typing. "Business between wealthy families forced me and a group of other people my age to pretend to be friends. We hung out in school and met every single day at one of their houses in the holiday. Most of us actually started getting along. I consider them my friends, I don't know about them"
"Like Tayson?" I asked
"Yeah."
"Well, he came with you all the way here, I'm sure he considers you a friend too." I smiled "Speaking of him, where is he?"
"He went back to London a while back." Jun told me
"Tell me about your group of friends then."
"They're a lot."
"I don't mind."
Jun hesitated, not wanting to be a bother by speaking too much. Mr. Read Into Everyone's Actions Perfectly Lucas raised his hands.
"I don't either, in case you're wondering." He said.
Jun fixed his hair then ran his finger across his right eyebrow while looking down, like he always did when he was nervous back when I lived with him. It actually made me smile and cover my mouth, I know it's been more than two months since we've met but moments like this, I realize that I really miss my brother
"Well.. we're twelve..." he said, as if almost asking us if he should continue.
"And how many of them are you close to?" I asked
A smile made its way to his face "Seven."
"Tell us about them"
"Well!" He grinned "They're four boys and three girls. There is Tayson, Roman, Peter, Ed, Violet, Yuri and Remi. Roman And Remi are actually twins." Jun said enthusiastically "I use to tell them all a lot about you." He blushed slightly "They know you so well."
"That's hardly fair, Yun never talked about you." Lucas mumbled. I looked around me for something to throw at him, picking the pillow on the bed and chucking it at him. It hit him directly in the face, making Mira throw herself backwards and laugh out loud.
Lucas frowned "He did speak about you. But then he'd get all sad and pouty and stuff so I'd change the subject."
"I did not!"
"Yes you did!" Lucas sat up properly "You would go all" he arched his back and pouted his lips, looking downwards. "And then your voice would quiver and you'd clinch you fist and cover your mouth."
I put Mira on the bed I was sitting on and grabbed the other pillow, standing up and throwing at him before walking forward and hitting his head "I did not!"
Lucas laughed and backed away on the sofa, raising his hands up "I'm only describing what I saw!"
Mira laid down on the bed, laughing so much, rolling around as Jun chuckled.
"I'm honoured." Jun said
"No–" I snapped my head towards him "You–you shut up! I didn't do anything!"
Lucas and Jun shared a look "Cuuuuteee."
"Hey!!"
They both laughed. I walked grumpily to the bed and slumped on it, folding my arms. Mira sat after she stopped laughing. Her hair was a complete mess, covering her face so she removed it from infront of her with both hands then got on her feet and climbed into my lap, unfolding my arms and putting it around her before making herself comfortable. I smiled and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head and fixing her hair back into a ponytail. "Whatever, continue Jun."
Jun grinned "Okay. As I said, Roman and Remi are twins. Violet and Ed are engaged because of their families businesses but..." Jun paused "Peter likes Violet."
I raised my eyebrows in amusement.
"Who do you like?" Lucas asked as he placed his legs on the couch and leaned down, sleeping on the arm of the couch
"I-I-I don–"
I burst out laughing "Don't deny. It would be so much easier for you to admit it."
Jun glared at the ground "Remi."
"Oooo." Lucas and I cooed.
"Shut up!" Jun said quickly "Remi will probably also get engaged for business! All my friends will except me because I'm adopted so it's not like whoever I get engaged to will take Aunt Wilma's last name."
"Does she know you like her?" Lucas casually said, making Jun turn even more red.
"Lucas! Shut up! Of course no!"
Lucas shrugged "Tell her."
"Are you insane?! Of course no! This isn't why I'm telling you about them!" Jun exclaimed, his cheeks, the bridge of his nose and his ears bright red "Let's move on okay?? It doesn't matter with me!" He huffed and looked at the laptop "Tayson's family own a series of restaurants, much like Yuri which is why their families are discussing their engagement. Eric's family own a car company, Peter's own a clothes company, Ed's own a mall, Violet's own a restaurant and Roman and Remis' family own an airline."
Lucas whistled. "An airline, Jun!"
"Lucas!!" Jun blushed as Lucas just laughed.
"What does Aunt Wilma own? I never even asked." I asked
"A series of hotels." Jun told me
"And you'll inherit that?" I asked
"I guess." Jun shrugged before sighing "Yuuun I don't want to go back. I took a one year holiday from Aunt Wilma but I have to back by next January. I don't want tooo." He pouted, covering his face.
I clinched my fist and looked around. I don't know what to say. I also don't want him to go. It's already May, the year is passing too quickly.
Jun sighed "Anyway!" He changed the subject "Other than the eight of us, there is 5 more but they're a group on their own, they really don't like us..."
"Why not?"
"I don't know. It's just that we are so different. We rarely even talk."
"I see." I nodded "Is there any chance I could meet any of them?"
Jun nodded "They travel a lot! And since we'll be going around England looking for our sibilings, I'm sure we'll cross paths with them! Actually, Aunt Wilma thinks I'm travelling with them which is why she's let me go."
"Good. I wanna meet them."
Jun grinned.
"Do you have pictures?" I asked
"Yes!" Jun jumped off his seat, putting the laptop on the table and coming beside me, taking out his phone. I just loved how excited he was about speaking about them, I seriously want to meet them now. "We went to Italy together and these are the pictures I have."
I looked at him and raised my eyebrows, smiling "Italy?"
"Yeah!" He continued browsing his phone, naive to the fact that I was just so surprised at how casually he said that. I looked at Lucas who laughed before we both shook our heads and I looked back at Jun's phone.
"That's all of us." He gave me the phone. It was a picture by a frozen river. I recognized Jun instantly, he was wearing a long blue coat, his brown hair laying down on his forehead because of the ice cap on his head, his nose red and his hands covered with gloves.
"Your nose still goes bright red in the cold?" I asked
"Yun!" Jun punched my shoulder "Shut up!"
I laughed and looked back at the photo "Who's who?"
"This is Roman and Remi." He pointed at the girl beside him and the boy next to her. She had Nordic blonde hair, almost off white, tied in a bun with her bangs covering her face. Her brother had the same natural Nordic blonde hair, short and combed backwards. They were identical.
"She's shorter than you," I mentioned "Make sure you get her, Jun, you won't find someone else like that."
"Yun!" Jun looked at me in disbelief "Stop!"
I grinned "No."
Jun rolled his eyes and looked back at the photo, his cheeks pink. "That's Tayson as you know. That Eric, next to Peter and Elly. This is Yuri and that's Violet."
"They all look very friendly." I commented
"They are! And I hope you would see that by yourself."
"I hope so too." I smiled. From the way Jun was speaking about them, I wanted to meet them all more than anything, just to know what kind of people they are and see how they treat my brother. Especially Remi. "Is there any reason why you like her?" I asked, pointing at the blonde girl standing next to Jun in the picture.
"Yun!" Jun exclaimed, pulling the phone and locking it. "Of course there's a reason, I'm not an idiot."
"Why?"
Jun completely dodged my question. "Mira!" He exclaimed, making the little girl face him excitedly. "You don't have a birth certificate, right?" He asked as she nodded, not understanding a word he was saying. "We're gonna have to get you one, isn't that right guardian?" He looked up at me and grinned. I couldn't help but scoff and smile upon remembering that she's now legally mine. Actually.
It was really a dream come true.