He has a heavy, penetrating look that is laid bare, turned inside out, exposing all the feelings and thoughts. From him you have nowhere to go. Akio took a deep breath into burning lungs, trying to calm the approaching nausea, but just felt a wave with a bang. Breathing convulsively, the young man stood up, clutching his hands under the table on his knees and tried to calm down. Aching shoulder, abdomen, chest, ribs. Ached and ached the entire body. He wanted to shrink into a ball and forget about everything, but for him it was an impermissible luxury. You cannot have guests noticed the weakness of His younger brother, you cannot embarrass Him.
Akio slowly looked up at his brother. So cold, firm, confident. In his twenty six he was head of the Supreme Division. Around him is always loyal pack of dogs who lick his hands, idolize him, and when he is in danger, bite to death alive anyone who infringes on the safety of their owner. He established a strict discipline, and no one can disobey him, because everyone knows - he is the force that suppresses all that somehow interferes with his progress. Even now, when everyone is sitting at the banquet table, no one can relax in his presence. No one, not even His own little brother. And Akio hated Kido for it.
Eyes met his older brother; Akio hurriedly looked away and put the napkin to the side. His head was buzzing from the surging of blood to the temples, would lie in bed and just close your eyelids sticking together and yet still have tomorrow to go to class. But the lad knew that tomorrow and the next day he's not going anywhere. Akio went to the most ordinary institution for students. To visit it, the guy tried to persuade his brother for several weeks, until finally he begged his blessing. Actually, Kido never showed cruelty to him, do not hit, do not swear, do not punish. All the attention his older brother came down to an approving nod or a pair of cool phrases. No warmth or tenderness, as if Kido did not know about such feelings. During this Akio hated his brother even more. He always wanted to somehow he revealed his feelings - let it shout, even blow. But no, Kido always remained calm and cold, even icy.
Kido looked at his younger brother. He was not like him: he was fragile, with delicate, milky-white skin, which he got from his mother, with huge blue eyes and black hair. The boy was sitting in a chair, pale and tired, he looked like a frightened rabbit. As loyal Mickey reported Kido, Akio was in such a state for a third day. The man knew that his brother did not like such gatherings, but had no choice, especially since Akio was Zion. The same Zion Kido killed nearly a month ago, the high brown-eyed girl with short hair and beautiful pale lips. The victory over Zion is a victory over all the clan. Kido closed his eyes.
When the banquet was over, Akio was unexpectedly called into the office of his older brother. The young man had been there a couple of times: first, when Kido told him that their father was dead, and the second when he tried to escape from the guards who followed him on the orders of his elder brother. The two times were not connected to anything good, and therefore the third time will not be nice as well.
The young man tapped his knuckles on the heavy wooden door and winced in pain. Behind the door sounded familiar deep voice, allowing Akio to cross the threshold, and he hesitantly went inside. Kido was sitting in a high chair next to a desk. His yellow-gray eyes slid over skinny face Akio and stopped on his broken lips.
- What is it?
- Uh, it's ... I recently got into a fight ... okay...
- And hands? Why are they bandaged?
- Well, I got into a fight ...
- All right. Then why do not you go to school?
- I... I ... - Akio gasped, feeling the smarting at every movement of the ribs. - I feel a little unwell ...
- All right. You can go, - Kido turned over to the table and leaned over the folder of papers.
- Ki ... - Akio reached out his hand, but stopped short and lowered his hand.
The guy was shaking in front of him treacherously tears. But I had to control myself. Not now. Akio bit his lip and turned around and walked out. Mickey looked sympathetically at him, shook his head and smiled at him encouragingly.
- He has a bad mood today, so do not worry, Petite Bonbon.
- Yes, I know - Akio walked down the hall to the padded feet. - For me it is always not in the mood.
- It's not like that. You know ...
- He is the head of the Supreme Division, and he has a lot of work. - Akio smiled sadly, adjusting the bandages on his fingers.
- You know, tomorrow you can go with Theo in an amusement park on the carousel. Want one? I'll ask Kido. To classes you're still not going, - Mickey opened the door Akio, passing it forward.
- No, thank you. But you can take time off from his brother for tomorrow? I want to go somewhere. To Ms. Dee Mei's. Just please do not tell him.
- To Ms. Dee Mei's? Hmmm ... never heard about her before. But, in any case, my Petite Bonbon, I cannot go with you, you know - a man slapped Akio soft hair and pulled out of his jacket pocket, chocolate candy in golden-red wrapper. - Here you go. Do not worry. Tomorrow you will take Theo wherever you want, but I will not say anything Kido. I promise.
- Thank you, Mickey - Akio took the gift, and the man slowly closed the door.
Standing a moment, he leaned against the cold surface of the door and heard the muffled sobs and quiet weeping. Mickey did not know that the younger brother of his boss is not crying of hurt, but of pain, terrible, unbearable pain that tore the little body.
- This is a great gift, really. Ha-ha-ha!
- No more jokes like that! I want to give him something meaningful, not this Surinamese Pipa, especially because it's so disgusting. Ugh ... Horrible!
- Ha-ha-ha! Petite Bonbon, and what do you want to give?
- I do not know. Maybe cigars? He loves smoking.
- No, it's a bad choice. In that year he was given thirty of these tricks. Heh-heh!
- What's so funny?
- And maybe, after all Pipa?
- Oh, come ... Ha-ha-ha!
The right hand the head of division and still very young boy found the right gift with difficulty, coming to a consensus that Kido needs such a gift that it both surprises him, and there will not be an "analogy".
The twenty-ninth of March - is a feast for all the members of the Supreme Division. As always, beautiful, tall and forbidding, Kido was sitting at the head of the festively laid table at the most expensive restaurant of the city. His cold eyes lazily slid by members of feasting and stopped for a moment at the place where his younger brother was to sit. Nothing appears on his calm face, but an impatient gesture he beckoned to Mickey and said something to him. He nodded his head in reply, and disappeared from the sight. Kido, after casting upon him a hard gaze, looked around at the faces of people who are genuinely smiling and happy, furtively admiring the beauty of their host.
Finally, it was evening, and in the midst of the holiday music suddenly stopped. Everything froze for a moment, not knowing how to react to the changes. Laughter died down and the room became tense. But then at the very end of the hall heard light footsteps, and at the center of the U-shaped table Akio came out. Tension immediately vanished. All met him with excited exclamations, who bowed his head to Kido as a welcoming gesture.
- Happy birthday, Kido! - A young man walked a few steps back and held out his hand.
From his palms slowly flowed blue-silver water which began to take shape in the form of thin, spiral wound tubes. Stretching, they began to fill the space in front of Akio, growing as whimsical patterns. Smiling, the boy blew on one of them, and the curl was covered with snow white frost, infecting the rest of soft ice falling down.
- This is my gift to you, brother!
Akio bowed his head and exhaled. He was still hurt, but a gift would be worthwhile, and the guy bent down slightly. From his back began to grow clear water flowing wings of white ice. Stretching, they were covered with feathers and light grew bigger and bigger. From a distance, they now seemed like a real, flesh-and-blood. Only here the real wings could be so huge, beautiful and shimmering in different colors from turquoise to blue. The young man jumped up and gently floated in the air. His back arched, arms stretched out to the side, and suddenly his whole body pierced the thin one and a half meters long needle. People gasped and held their breath. Akio, smiling all the same kind, infant smile, looked at his brother and slamming wings closed them like a cocoon turning into ice. After a moment, the wings flew at such small pieces that, when applied to participants of the celebrations, they became shallow cool dust.
- Happy Birthday - Akio landed on the floor and looked uncertainly at his older brother.
It's nothing. No feelings. No anger, no joy, no condemnation or approval. Brother's eyes were still cold and impenetrable. Akio bitterly plump pink lips stretched into a smile and quickly left the room. Fleeing, he did not hear any screams of admiring spectators, no thunder of applause or a quiet "thank you, Akio" of his older brother. He ran away from the restaurant on the street, where it was already spring-like warmth and fragrant.
At the threshold, closing the heavy door, Akio plunged into darkness. Then someone hit him on the head, and the boy slowly slid into strong hands. Falling into a swoon, he heard a voice in the distance Mickey asked him to return to Kido. It smelled of cherry blossoms, rain and acquaintances expensive perfume. He came back again in hell.
- Here, look what I found in his backpack - Mickey handed Kido a disc. - The entire cover was in dried blood, and on one side was written "A good big brother."
- Put, - Kido was holding a glass of strong whiskey.
In the shadows of the office his beautiful manly face seemed quite unperturbed.
- Now - Mickey put the disc, turned on the TV, pressing the button "Play", again departed for the seat of the boss.
Then appeared a face of a young man, brown-eyed, with regular, delicate features and a charming smile. He smiled cheerfully.
