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.
"Elder brother, I picked this one especially for you!" Asher displayed his pearly whites while carefully placing the cupcake in Kio's hand. He didn't want to damage the beautiful and delicious frosting.
Kio raised an eyebrow while tucking in a stray strand of hair behind his ear. A cold smile blossomed from his pale thin lips, paralyzing everyone but Asher. What had Young Master Asher said that had offended Young Master Kio?!
Unlike the servants, Asher wasn't scared. He was inattentive of their thoughts and fear-sickened expressions. His gaze was unable to move past Kio's cold and graceful smile. Ah, such a beautiful sight to behold!
"Why did you choose this cupcake?"
"Because the color of the frosting reminds me of you. Cold like ice, yet beautiful and relaxing. It suits you perfectly, elder brother!"
Seeing Asher's earnest smile, Kio couldn't help but drop his cold mask for just a few quick seconds. His emerald green eyes were full of surprise and content while his thin lips curved up into a small, but genuine smile. The warm expression was quickly replaced by his usual aloof appearance. Even if such a warm expression left as soon as it came, every single servant managed to capture this beautiful sight. Who knew that their Second Young Master could reveal such a tender side of himself!
Soon enough, Asher's hunger had been completely satisfied. He patted his tummy a few times before letting out a small and almost unnoticeable burp. Kio raised an eyebrow at his unusual action but decided not to say anything. The servants stared at Asher in shock and a bit of disgust. How could the youngest master of the powerful and respected Pierce household have no manners?! Even if he was considered an outcast, he should still display an eloquent behavior at all times!
Asher carefully got off the seat, unaware of the penetrating stares he was receiving. He hasn't had a lot of human interaction in his old life, so it was considerably difficult for him to decipher other people's emotions; especially if they were quite skilled in hiding said sentiments.
Zara, who had been waiting for her Young Master to finish his meal, immediately went back to his side once he had finished eating. However, before Zara could say anything, Asher turned to look at her as a sheepish smile graced his youthful appearance.
"Zara, there is still so much food. This young lord is afraid that he has wasted so many ingredients."
The thought of such an exquisite meal being thrown away caused tears to gather in his eyes. His dark blue eyes turned into a darker color because of the moisture and they shone with innocence and guilt.
The tanned maid shook her head rapidly, making her shiny dark hair move from side to side. She resisted the urge to pull the young one into her embrace. He was just too cute!
"Young Master Asher, you shouldn't worry about such trivial matters," Zara said while flashing her well-known kind and gentle smile. Such a brilliant smile could cause any man's heart to be filled with warmth. Asher's maid wasn't just kind, but she was also extremely beautiful! It was such a shame that Zara didn't have enough time to find an attractive man to settle down with...
Despite Zara's claims, Asher shook his head, clearly displaying how saddened he was about the current situation. Asher's discomfort was noticed by everyone present, causing then to stare at each other in confusion. Young Master Asher had never acted this way before, what was happening to him?
Suddenly, Asher had thought of a bright idea. His small and pale hands grabbed Zara's wrists and made her sit down on the seat he was previously occupying. Asher's sudden action stunned everyone, including his elder brother.
"Instead of wasting everything, you can all eat it!"
Asher gazed at everyone with a warm smile as he began to feel proud of himself. Ah, such a brilliant idea indeed!
Not letting anyone contemplate on what to do next, Asher quickly rushed towards his elder brother's side and held his hand. A pair of striking dark blue eyes met with enchanting cold emerald eyes. The coldness in Kio's gaze didn't seem to faze the young kid.
"Brother, everyone listens to you. Make everyone sit and eat!"
The servants watched as their youngest master ordered his elder brother to do his bidding. Kio didn't seem shocked at the unexpected turn of events, his lips curving ever so slightly with amusement. Then, Kio raised his gaze and narrowed his eyes.
With an indifferent voice, he stated, "Well, what are you waiting for? Are you going against the youngest child of the Pierce family?"
After hearing his commanding voice, the servants snapped out of their daze and immediately followed the command. Asher's eyes were full of satisfaction and relief. Thank god nothing will be wasted! It would've crushed his heart to know that the delicious food was thrown away. Suffering all those years because of hunger has impacted his life greatly.
After the brothers walked away hand in hand, soft murmurs were heard throughout the kitchen.
"Is that really Young Master Asher? He didn't seem like his usual self!"
"Right, right! He was much more confident and he looked so happy! And did you see how he ordered Young Master Kio? It was such an unusual sight!"
"It's so heartwarming! I hope their relationship blossoms into something beautiful. After all, Young Master Kio doesn't dislike Young Master Asher. It's because of Master Alejandro and Young Master Ian that Young Master Kio is forced to ignore his little brother's presence."
After that comment, no one dared make a sound. The once lively mood turned gloomy as they thought about the broken family.
Alejandro Pierce is the current head of the family. He and his wife, Nikola Pierce, had brought three living beings into this world. Ian Pierce is their firstborn and he was the son that Alejandro doted the most. His father's constant praise and affection towards Ian had caused him to grow up into the man he is today; overly confident with a haughty attitude. Ian is a hardworking young man that excels in his studies and strength, making his father feel proud of his achievements.
Kio Pierce is the couple's second born. He excels in his studies and strength just like his elder brother, however, he doesn't receive the same kind of attention his elder brother experiences daily. The lack of fatherly love caused him to become cold and distant to his own family. Nevertheless, he still treated everyone with respect.
Asher Pierce is the last son of the Pierce family. When the current Asher hadn't taken over the original Asher's body, the boy was quiet, shy, and reserved. Unlike his two elder brothers, Asher didn't enjoy studying nor training. Honestly, it all sounded like a bore to the poor boy. Because of his incompetence, Alejandro and Ian had grown to resent the youngest child of the family. Consequently, his mother hates the way he is treated and spoils Asher endlessly. However, now that the current Asher has taken over this body, he will not let himself be treated unfairly. At the very least, he wants to find people that will care for him and protect him.
Sill grasping Kio's hand, Asher laughed giddily as his elder brother escorted him back to his room. It's been such a long time since he has had any physical connection with someone, and the foreign feeling made him feel warm inside. How could the past Asher distance himself from such a great elder brother?
"Your chamber is just around the corner. Go by yourself. I don't want anyone to see me with you."
As soon as those words left Kio's mouth, he briskly walked away from the startled Asher. Seeing Kio's figure disappear from his sight caused him to feel a slight pang of pain. Asher places his hands on his chest as his eyes narrowed. These feelings must belong from the past Asher. However, what he doesn't understand is why Kio acted so rudely right now. One thing is for certain, this family isn't simple at all.
Sighing, Asher followed Kio's directions and made it safely to his room. His once happy mood had now turned sour as he gazed at the outside world through his window. Right outside the window, there was a big tree that obstructed his view. "This new life won't be easy at all..."
Turning around and staring at the lifeless room, his sour mood worsened as he hastily removed his suffocating clothing. Only his undergarments remained on the youth's pale body as he slowly made his way to his bed, a soft yawn forcing its way out of his throat. Asher needs time to rest and analyze what he should do next to survive in this unknown world.
As Asher slowly fell into a deep sleep, he failed to notice a pair of sharp red eyes following his every move. The red eyes belonged to a small black cat that was lazily lounging on top of a branch.
Right when the small boy went to sleep, the cat's crimson eyes narrowed as he stood up and stretched his back. Finally, after observing Asher for a few more minutes, the black cat lept from the tree with a task in mind.
He must report to the Young Lord about his troubling discovery.