Leave The Monster Alone

"Smile for the camera and make sure it only catches your best side. We do not want the vultures at the court to take any liberties with us after all" Rao looked over to his parents fussing over his big brother.

Of course, he was the one they were paying attention to. It was not like they ever paid that much attention to Roa and what he did. He was the black sheep born in the family of the golden geese. In other words, he did not feel like he belonged in this family. All he wanted to do was to run away from it.

"Roa, it's your turn. Do not embarrass us and make sure you smile this time. Take a look at your younger brother. He looks royal, just as we want to present ourselves to the outside world" his mother was not yelling those words but they felt close enough to a yell. 

Roa wanted to say that since she would never be satisfied with his efforts, why did he even need to try at all? The effort would not change the fact that he had an image in his parent's eyes that would not change anything for him. It could only make things worse for him front this point on.

But saying all this out loud was a big red flag that would get him disowned from his family. As much as Rao did not want to be a part of it, he did need the money to live a happy life. Since he had no skills yet, it would be suicidal to take this step forward.

"Young master, please face this way" the fourteen years old did as he had been instructed to do. The other started to snap a photo but then stopped. His gaze looked behind Rao and his face carried a frown.

"What happened? Are you not going to snap a photo of me?" Rao asked, his voice sounding bitter. He did as the other asked and he was still being ignored? What kind of service had they even paid for? Why did this always happen to him?

"Parden we young master, but maybe we should move to another place to have your picture done. The company here is, well, less than ideal" Rao did not understand that muttering at all. What was wrong with this place? He could not find any fault here and his brother had had his photo taken here as well.

His parents seemed to get the message as they nodded along as well. Whatever was going on here, only Rao seemed unaware of it. Even Mark seemed to know what this was about and he was also a kid.

"Why do we need to go somewhere else? This is a beautiful place and I want to have my photo taken here" Roa decided he would be stubborn about it. If his brother got to have his photo taken here then he would as well. This is the only way it would be fair.

"We are going. If you keep on making this scene, then you would not have your photo taken at all" Her mother quickly glanced at the side, almost as if making sure no one saw or heard their words. She was awfully careful right now and it made Roa suspicious. 

Something was not right.

"No, I do not want to" besides, if the photo did not end up happening then it was no problem to Rao. His parents were the ones who insisted on this photo shoot anyway. It had not been Rao's choice at all.

"Fine, stay behind and rot for all I care. I am not going to stay here a minute longer. Mark, come. We need to go home" his younger brother looked at him with his blank shining eyes, void of any light. He looked between their mother and him before following after her.

His father had decided not to come and Rao was thankful for it. His mother was a handful but she was nothing compared to his father who had very strict conduct to follow. He would likely have delt out punishment had he been here today.'

"You should listen to your parents' kid. Otherwise, you would end up in a bad place sooner or later" the photographer suggested, packing his instruments. Rao did not reply, he did not even look at the photographer. What did that low-life peasant know about Roa and his life choices? His struggles?

No, Rao should not think like that. This thinking of his was the reason Milli had not wanted to talk to her. Her family had been someone who had supported the lower-world people and their rights. She would not be happy to know that Rao was insulting someone else, even if it was all in his head anyway.

"Take it as a warning kid. The world is not a kind place, especially not recently with all those raids. Don't end up dead before your time" the photographer made his last comment before he left the fourteen years old alone as well. Now Rao had truly been left to deal with everything on his own.

Not that he minded. He was a big boy who could do anything he set his mind to. He did not need anyone else to help him out or to make decisions for him. He could do it all himself anyway. There was no need to drag anyone into this mess.

"Have you thought about what you are going to do next?" Roa flinched at Mark's voice. What was his younger brother doing here? And without anyone to follow him as well. Did he not know how dangerous it was out here?

"Go back home. This is not a place someone like you should be in. Also, I do not want to see your face for some time" Mark turned his head around in confusion. He looked a little out of it at first but quickly recovered. Still, his eyes had a dazed look in them.

"Are you worried about me? What about yourself? Are you not going to come back home?" Rao watched as a younger boy sat beside him. Rao had not been wearing anything fancy, so it did not matter if it got dirty or not. However, Mark was in a two-piece fancy suit which certainly could have caused them a fortune.

"Idiot, what are you doing? Do you have any idea how costly that thing is? Do not go and waste all that money?" The younger look offended at Rao's words. But it was a playful kind of offended that did not indicate any anger on his part.

"I would like to tell you that I am much more careful than you when it comes to these things. I will make sure this suit does not get dirty before we get home. Also, we should start heading home now. Louis is waiting for us in the car.

Roa felt surprised that they had decided to leave a car behind for him. But then again, Mark was here which was the rough reason for the car to be here as well. Unlike him, Mark was the 'esteemed young master' they all respected. 

"Let me go and say hello to Milli first. She was just here during our photoshoot" Rao started to stand up but there was a grip on his arm that stopped him from moving. He looked at the arm attached to his hand and then to the other's face.

"Perhaps it is not a good idea to engage them right now. You can come back here afterward. I would prefer it if you do not talk to their family at all but that is your choice. Just make sure you are not seen with her often enough to give an impression that you are friends" the younger looked stressed at this point.

It made Roa want to know more about the situation but before he could, it all came to an end. Milli and his family seemed to be leaving that place a little angry while the younger girl looked defeated.

"Please come back when you have your priorities straight and do not have the stench of filth all over yourself. No matter how much you wash, your essence of a low-born would not change and people like you are not welcomed here" Rao had no idea what they were talking about but he wanted to help Milli feel better.

He saw her and another child with her, their hands clasped into each other tightly. Roa felt his chest tighten at the gesture and wanted to turn back but he could not. He had to face this reality right now.

"She has a rough road in front of her. That kid with her, he is likely someone from the lower words" he was? But he looked so ordinary? He looked like Rao and Mark and Milli and did not deserve to be treated like this? But he had been and he would be again.. This was the kind of world they were in after all.