Her husband, her daughter and now her son and her daughter-in-law, why was life so unfair? Old Renée sorrowfully gazed at her son's grave, stray tears running down her wrinkled cheeks as her hand tightly held her eldest grandson's hand. Was she comforting him or was she looking for comfort herself? Nothing was sure.

The green head didn't answer his grandmother's hand squeeze, his unusually dull eyes blankly gazing at the twin grave before him. Two names were engraved, and the boy found himself stopping at the familiar yet foreign name of his uncle. Pierre Lamarre.

A name he knew all too well but that he, almost, never used. When was the last time they spoke cordially, without having himself cowering from the older's hard almost reproachful yet guilty gaze? Had they ever see eye to eye until a week ago?

Although he didn't think he held any affection toward his uncle, much less his wife, Ryota felt his golden eyes sting, tearing up until a single tear rolled down his cheek. Was this how they felt when he died? Those were his only thought as he gazed at the tomb before him. From then on, none of his attention went to his deceased relatives. They weren't close. Mikaël never acknowledged them either.

To be honest, if not for the fact that his grandmother was his uncle's mother he wouldn't have come. He had better things to do, more important things to attend. The compelling feeling in his gut which told him they were there too drove him to play basketball every day, to absorb every technique he could.

From the best player to the worst, it didn't matter so long as it meant he could stand on the same court as them once more. They promised they would play together, and although they probably weren't aware of this promise, Ryota as the one who broke it believed he needed to live up to it. He had to, for himself more than anyone else.

Ryota was selfish, only those who entered his line of sigh mattered. In his former life, he had brilliantly succeeded, only those of his standings and those he acknowledged ever talked to him. In his current life as Mikaël, he was spoiled much more than by his previous parents. He did miss his parent's as Kise, but he had lost them before, and although mamie Renée would never replace them, she was like a mother and loving granny to Mikaël.

In this life, she probably was one of the rare people Ryota actually acknowledged, the other kids his 'age' were only fools, people not worth his time and attention. Easily deceived by a smile and pretty words, sure they were children, but to the Ryota who learned how to use his looks to his advantage at a young age, not discerning lies from the truth was pitiable. Gullible was different from Foolish.

Well, he didn't mind, it only meant it was easier to use them to reach his goals. They would pave the way for him gladly with just a smile and kind words. Unknowingly, a satisfied yet full of disdain smirk etched itself on his youthful face at the thought. His face which was cleverly hidden in his red scarf his granny had hand-sewed for him hid his morphing and scornful expression.

Yeah, except for his granny, all of these people were pitiful. Pitifully innocent and pure for the children, pitifully foolish and arrogant for the adults. None of them knew what real power was, unquestionably, they had never met face to face with someone like Seijuro Akashi. The way each and every one of the people held themselves as if they were above others made him want to puke. They knew nothing of real power, they didn't have anything to back themselves.

In the end, perhaps it wasn't that other's weren't worthy of his attention. Maybe it was the fact that his standards were too high for them to reach. Nodding to himself, Mikaël felt satisfied with this reason. And anyway, it was better to have high standards than low ones anyone could answer.

"—kaël," a voice called out, snapping him out of his thoughts and bringing his mind back to the cemetery and funerals he was attending. Had he perhaps disrespected the dead? A guilty feeling subconsciously rose in his chest and, before he knew it, he gave them a prayer. Wishing for his lost and practically unknown relatives to have a peaceful rest. Lifting his head as to meet his granny's pale green eyes, Mikaël nodded.

"Let's go, little Francis is waiting for us," Renée reminded before taking her grandson's hand in her own once more and dragging him out of the cemetery.

"Ah, right mamiecchi, let's go," Ryota replied his voice even and holding a calmness inappropriate of a child his age. Francis, he mused as he followed his grandmother. The boy who currently was less than a year old was his cousin, his uncle's son.

When he thought of the baby, part of Ryota felt pity while the other held mostly empathy toward the young boy. Compassion, unlike Shintaro who became a doctor and knew how to be empathetic, to Ryota the notion was almost foreign. It wasn't something he often felt towards strangers.

It sent his heart in a strange motion, it wasn't his first time experiencing this feeling, but it was the first time it was so strong toward a stranger. Perhaps not a stranger as Francis biologically speaking was his cousin, but nonetheless, the emotion which sprung in his chest was almost suffocating for its intensity was grand. It was nearly as intense as the love he once held for his beloved.

He sighed, emotions faded, the proof would be his 'undying' love which now was only a weak and feeble flame. There was no use in dwelling over past relationships, he told himself, he would think about it once they met again, then he will know whether or not his feelings are still intact or if they have entirely disappeared.

A deprecative smile went to his face, for them to fade. He hoped they wouldn't.

::

"From now on the two of you are brothers, okay Mikaël?" Renée asked as she held the baby in her arms, her pale eyes staring at the eldest child expectantly. "Francis will be your little brother, and you the big brother, not cousins but brothers," she repeated, stating the two greenheads' status once more.

Mikaël slowly nodded, his eyes holding pure childish curiosity as he gazed down at the baby. A brother, a younger brother, such a foreign notion to him who used to be the youngest child with two older sisters. The concept somehow warmed his heart and without him noticing it, a genuine smile bloomed on his face as he started to stroke the smaller's cheek.

Seeing the oldest genuinely grinning to someone other than her for the first time Renée's shoulders unconsciously relaxed. Previously worried about whether Mikaël would accept Francis or not, she felt them all wash away as she gazed at the golden-eyed behavior. Maybe the reason why Mikaël was always aloof to others despite his seemingly outgoing and cheerful persona was that he felt lonely?

"Would you like to hold him?" She asked as she saw the green head's hand reach for the baby before going back to his side and reenacting the action hesitantly again and again. "There, be careful, especially with the head," she instructed as she passed the young Francis to the excited yet restless Mikaël.

Carefully extending his hands, Ryota mutely nodded, his golden haze glued on the small figure before him. It felt so weak, yet powerful at the same time. Like a strange flow of energy ran through the baby, a foreign power he managed to decipher as it seemed to echo within himself, almost like a resonance.

It was odd but calming and comforting, it gave him a deep sense of familiarity with the baby and made him unconsciously more attached to the small being. Strange how something so pitiful and seemingly unworthy of his attention managed to gain his whole undivided attention without lifting a finger.

It was bizarre, but it didn't bother him one bit. He guessed it would only make his stay in France much more enjoyable until he managed to find them again.

::

"Mikaël, come here mamie needs to talk to you about that project of yours," Renée called out from the living room. Perking up, Ryota hurriedly went to the living room. His project, he knew his grandmother would be reserved about it, and she had every reason to be, but Ryota was set on reaching his goal. Why would he have worked so hard these past few years otherwise?

"Yes mamiecchi, I'm coming!" He shouted back, his feet hitting against the wooden floor as he went down the stairs to the living room in which were his grandmother and younger brother. "Heya Francchi," he greeted as he passed the crib the younger was in. Hearing his name, or nickname, the green lifted his head, his gaze oddly blank as he stared at the hype teen before he went back to his wooden blocks.

"You wanted to see me mamiecchi?" Ryota rhetorically asked as he arrived in front of his granny and guardian, a bright grin etched on his lips as he went over his foolproof plan once more in his mind. He would get her approbation without fail, he was sure of it.

Renée smiled back, ushering her kid to take a seat she served him a glass of mineral water before herself taking a chair to face him. "About this school, you want to attend," she started a bit unsure about the way she should talk to her grandson. Mikaël was a smart kid, certainly brighter than most of his peers but he remained a child first and foremost, Renée found herself conflicted as to whether she should talk to him like an adult to a child or to a fellow adult.

"What about it? Did you consider it? Don't you think it sounds great?" Ryota shot successively, not allowing her to delve into her thoughts as he happily took a sip of his water. "Teiko's really great you know mamiecchi! They have a super basketball team, and their academic score is terrific!" He praised, stars seeming to gleam in his eyes as he awaited his granny's reaction.

Wrily smiling, the old lady shook her head, what would she do with this kid, he was so cunning despite being so young. "I saw," she replied evenly, not letting her grandson's flow of words affect her. "But Japan, don't you think it's a bit far? Where do you plan on living? With who? You are a minor young man, you can't act as you please," she reminded, her voice sterner than usual.

"Aha!" Ryota exclaimed at her words, startling both his younger brother and granny in the process at his sudden outburst. "This is where Claudecchi enters," he said proudly, as he took a bright yellow folder from under the table. "Look mamiecchi. I told him about my project, and he offered to transfer me to Japan," he exclaimed the smugness in his voice barely hidden as he flaunted the document to his surprised grandmother.

Claude, Claude Mannone, Mikaël's agent at the moment. She didn't think the rascal would have postulated at a modeling agency in hope to transfer to Japan and accomplish whatever his unfathomable goal was. She refrained from speaking up, taking the document instead she slowly read over it, taking in every clause, their perks, and drawbacks. Minutes passed, and as Ryota was starting to grow a bit restless, she put the document down folding her glasses in the process.

"Are you sure," she whispered a bit distressed as she looked up at her grandson. She didn't need his answer, she had it already, but part of her wished he would reconsider. Tell her it was all a joke. Truth be told if she wanted she could shatter this wistful wish of his in a matter of seconds, she was his guardian this decision was nothing.

But she knew if she did he would most probably lose the trust he had in her, no perhaps lose interest was more appropriate for a child such as Mikaël. And this, she knew she wouldn't be able to bear it, not now. Not ever. Seeing him nod and answer with as much enthusiasm as before she let a helpless sigh escape her lips before gently ruffling his silky green locks.

"I will have to call Monsieur Mannone to speak with him about it and make him your legal guardian in my absence," she explained as she took her phone out, already dialing the man's name. In fact, Renée and Claude weren't close so to say, but they knew one another well enough for the granny to trust her grandson with him when out for shootings.

Mikaël had started his modeling career before the idea even passed Renée's mind a year before little Francis joined their house since then, the two adults had bonded and although they couldn't be qualified as friends, comrades in the art of controlling and raising Mikaël, was a title they shared without hesitation.

Seeing his grandmother agree to his request, although part of him knew she couldn't refuse him and felt guilty for exploiting this weakness, Ryota beamed, jumping from his seat and engulfing her in a hug he renewed his determination. He would join Teiko's basketball team, and together, once more they would rule the court.

As Kise started to envision his plan, he forgot a few details. Even if Teiko existed, it didn't mean the other members of the Generation of Miracles lived, and if they did, didn't it mean Ryota Kise did too?

I think I'll try to aim for at least monthly updates until I finish "CLOUDY" 🤔

Thanks for reading, until next time^^