"Why can't we join them?" Aki asked Mharc.
"Oh, Sis. If you want to make Brother angry, go ahead and drink with them."
The two girls just talked while the three men left to buy their drinks and food.
"Why aren't we allowed? Isn't it just drinking?"
"Don't be naughty, Sis. Let's just bond here."
Pouting her lips, Aki sat next to Mharc in front of their television set.
At half past seven in the evening, the two young ladies, Aki and Mharc, were currently in the living room. Watching a movie whose story interests them both. A film about the love life story of two young members of two incompatible clans. And they planned to watch a few more movies while the young men were out in the yard drinking.
"Aren't you really with my brother, Sis Aki?" Mharc asked, remembering her older brother's insistence that he and Aki had no relationship.
Aki's eyes turned to her companion. "What do you mean?" she asked, confused.
"You and Brother, what is your relationship?"
Mharc hoped that Aki would say that she and M were in a romantic relationship. She hoped that her sister would refute her older brother's insistence that there was nothing romantic between him and Aki. She really liked Aki. She wanted her to be with her brother. She wanted her for her brother.
"Friends," Aki replied with a smile.
"Just friends?"
"Best friends?" Aki hesitated. She wasn't sure if that should be her and M's label. Were they really best friends now?
'After all, Riri knows my secrets. Hence, we are now best friends.'
"'That's it?"
"Yes. What should it be?"
"So, you two really don't have a relationship?" sadly confirmed the young lady to her friend.
"Huh? We're really good friends! Aren't you listening? We are best of friends. That's our relationship. We're good friends."
"What a shame... I still like you even though you're not with my brother."
"What do you mean? I like you too."
"Hmm-hmm," Mharc answered, nodding her head to Aki. "I want you to be my legal sister."
Aki's smile widened at what her friend said. "We can still be sisters, you know."
"Even so! I still like you and Brother to be together!" Mharc's insistence made Aki laugh.
Of all the people they informed that their relationship with M was just pure friendship, Mharc was the only one who believed it.
Aki and Mharc have talked about so many things. But the latter keeps bringing up the matter about M and Aki.
"Why aren't you together?"
"What now, Sis?"
"It's your fault! You should be with him!" Mharc sneered. "You're sweet to each other. You're a perfect match."
"What are you talking about? You can only say we are sweet because he is my closest friend besides you. That's all, you just give it a different meaning," the Archein explained.
"What if Brother flirts with you? What if he woo you? Will you agree?"
"That's enough, Sis. Move on. Don't give yourself false hopes. We both know your brother wouldn't do that."
"Don't give myself false hopes, huh?. As if I don't know that you, yourself are also hoping."
"That's why I'm telling you not to incriminate me with your high hopes. I don't want to expect anything. Riri and I have a good relationship now. Let's not mess it up. If I expect more, I don't know what could happen," she explained to Mharc with a little smile on her face.
Mharc was saddened. 'Looks like there's really no hope,' Mharc gave up in her mind.
They continued chatting about random things and watching more films. They have seen many movies. There was a story based on real life; there was also comedy and action. As many as they tried to watch, they never finished some of it.
They have also talked a lot but Mharc was the only one who kept talking. She told Aki how protective older brother M was to her. How she was raised by two more older brothers in the personification of Mario and Matthew. And much more.
Aki also wanted to tell Mharc her story, but she chose to keep quiet and just listen because she didn't want her friend to be involved with her chaotic life.
"You know what, Sis? If you get a boyfriend out of those three? Brother Mario is the one I want for you."
Mharc also called Matthew and Mario "Big Brothers" whenever they were not around. For reasons she couldn't explain, she was shy to call those two brothers when they were around.
"Because he is the sweetest of them all," Mharc continued.
"Yes, Brother Mario is a womanizer. But I believe that he is serious about love. The only scary thing is that you don't know if he is taking you seriously or if you are just one of his toys. You know what I meant? It's hard to figure out if he's still playing around or not, but once he decides to pursue love, he'll make you his queen."
"I thought you liked your older brother? Why are you building up Rio's image?"
"Correction! I want you for my brother, but I don't want him for you. That's different!"
"Make it clear," said Aki, laughing at Mharc.
"And then I just thought…"
"What?" Aki asked, laughing.
"There might be a chance that Brother won't take you seriously either. We both know that Brother is a brat. All he knows is fighting, he can't support you financially! On the other hand, Brother Mario is rich! He's a big catch!" she joked.
"You fool! You even made me look like a golddigger!"
"Hey! No! That's called practicality. That's different, Sis. Being a golddigger is different from being practical," Mharc defended.
"Yes, of course. If you say so."
"Come on! It really is."
"Okay."
"Hmp! You don't believe me."
"I do. But Sis, don't you…" the Archein began. "Oh! Nevermind!" She wanted to say something but she couldn't bring herself to continue talking about it.
"Why? What is that, Sis?"
"Er, how about Yu?" Aki asked the scowling Mharc.
"Huh? What do you mean, Sis?" the latter asked in confusion.
"Why Rio? Why not Yu?"
A long "aaaah" was the first thing that came out of Mharc's mouth. "Do you like Brother Matt, Sis Aki?" Mharc asked. "Why did you suddenly ask about Brother Matt?"
"Because you said 'of the three', but you only said two. You didn't include Yu."
"Aaah... You covered it up, huh!" said Mharc with a judging look at Aki.
"What are you talking about? Don't answer it if you don't want to."
"Hmmm.. Brother Matt? Brother Matt is fine. He is the least vicious of the three. But Brother Mario is really the sweetest!"
"That's your only reason? Sweet?"
"Yes! The three of them are kind. They also hide some good traits even though they are fools."