I gently opened my eyes.
*Tring-Tring-Tring-Tring-.....*
The alarm rang loudly beside my ears.
I reached out to the alarm and turned it off. I was still a lot sleepy, but I still forced my left eyelids to open, just to check the time.
It’s 6 am on the dot.
I got up from my futon and opened the windows. The morning sunlight flooded inside our room. I stretched my arms and back which had gone stiff.
The cool breeze soothed my body whereas the sunlight warmed it. It was a very good atmosphere, and a good day to start your day. I glanced out of the window.
I saw many other people who woke up like myself. Some basked in the sunlight as they sip their tea. Whereas some opened up the chicken coop.
I am not actually a fan of waking early myself. I would like to laze around while laying down on a grass field while I stare at the clouds passing above.
That’s how I like to pass my time.
But I can’t do that anymore.
Well, let me introduce myself, my names Desmond Heller.
I and my little brother-sister struggled a lot after we were abandoned by our own, mother. Just remembering about her makes me sick! Somehow my father's friend helped us out for a little while as I did menial chores and made some earnings. Soon he also stopped supporting us. But I had earned a bit of money by doing a lot of odd jobs. I somehow rented a little room and even enrolled my little younger siblings to a school.
Its been seven years of struggle since we were abandoned.
Now we had shifted to a new apartment because of my new job.
Well, today’s the day, I would join the army. A step closer to my goal in the road to make money and fame.
I should report on time to my garrison, I can't mess up my first day.
After I was done with my warm up, I head to the corner of the room. There was another futon laid down.
I grabbed the corner of the futon and pulled it up with all my strength.
Two brats rolled down from underneath the bed sheet on to the floor.
“Upsy daisy! It’s morning, wake up.”, I greeted both the sleepy heads.
Out of the two, the first to wake up was the girl.
Well let me introduce you to her, this is my little sister Rosetta. At first glance, you shall think she is just an ordinary girl but she’s not. She is more like a prodigy. Brilliant in academics and sports. She also acts very maturely for her age, acting all grown up. Even her teachers said that she was a genius that surface once in 100 years or so. I am really proud of her,
In the other hand, her twin-older brother as well as my younger brother, the boy who was still asleep next to her. He drooled as he scratched his crotch. He is Armin who was the polar opposite of his twin younger sister. Although he excels in sports yet academic wise he still dumb that he struggles even for a simple addition/subtraction. He is very immature and childish for his age. His teacher always nags and complains how indisciplined and boisterous, he acts in his class.
They are almost two opposites sides of a coin.
For being twins, the only thing in common they have was their blonde hair and good at sports.
Whereas, mentally they are just like day and night.
“Oi! Armin wake up!”, I tried to wake Armin as I shook him by the shoulder.
But he slept like a log as he drools flow down the floor.
I let out a sigh,
“Rose, wake Armin. I shall prepare breakfast.”
I left Armin in Rose’s care.
I head to the kitchen. Well, I can’t call it kitchen to be precise. Well because we live in a 1 room kitchen apartment where I have to pay the rent to live.
So this cramped up little space in our little domain and we three rule this place. But to keep my little kingdom in my possession I need to work and pay the landlady the rent.
It would have been great if we could have a home of our own.
Well, let’s stop this idle daydreaming and let’s get back to work.
I tossed the sandwich in the frying pan and simmered some eggs. Whereas in the other stove, I had boiled the kettle for tea.
While I was busy preparing breakfast, Rose had placed dishes on the low table, which was the only furniture in the apartment. Well, it's not like there was much space, to begin with. There was no need for such unnecessary expenses. Just the rent and food services are pretty hard to get by.
Rose went to bath and I tossed Armin along with her in the bathtub. Rose even punched him twice before she gave up on waking him. Although when he started to sink in the bathtub he woke up almost immediately.
As soon as they got out, I quickly dressed them up in their usual school uniform. Whereas Rose didn’t need much help to groom herself.
But Armin just ran to the table to eat breakfast butt naked.
“Hey, Armin! Get your butt here in this instant. Otherwise, no breakfast for you!”, I threatened him.
Armin returns back to me and I made him dress up in his uniform.
Well, Armin is childish and simple-minded. He is more like an animal than a human being. His personality is childish, immature and always thinks about food and to play. But there are some good traits as well. He is very kind-hearted. He easily trusts people and that’s the reason he was often fooled easily.
In the other hand, Rose was more mature and didn’t rely on anyone’s help. She didn’t trust people easily. And that’s why she has few friends.
I am really worried about her, but I can't complain myself. I also don’t have friends but I don’t wanna brag about it. I guess I have never felt the need for one. The last time so-called friends were nothing but bastards that ridiculed me and tried to suck cash outta me.
Anyway, this was all in past, from today on I shall be joining the military.
After I readied Armin, we all sat down for breakfast on the floor, which was the customary way to utilize the low table.
Well while we were in the middle of eating, the first one to speak was Armin.
“From today onwards you’ll be a soldier, right big bro?”, he asked with high enthusiasm.
“Yes, that’s right.”, I replied in short sentence and continued to eat my breakfast.
“That’s so cool! I will also become a great soldier!”, Armin said as he pointed the fork in the air.
That was the common hero pose, but with a fork instead of a sword.
“Now! Now, Armin you should not talk while eating. Finish your breakfast, first.”
All of sudden Rose joined in the conversation,
“Please brother! If you ever become a soldier, you will get killed on your first day.”
She said in a cold way as she sipped her tea.
Not again!
I could see, where this was heading.
After, Armin heard Rose’s remarks he angrily banged his hand on the table.
“How dare you! I shall be the hero, and I will then-”
*smack*
Before he could finish I whacked Armin in the head and it was loud one at that.
Armin held his head on the place where I hit.
“Ow!”
“You idiot! Don’t take your anger on the table. You also spilled some of your tea! Clean this mess or it could even spoil your uniform! I just have washed and ironed it last night.”, I firmly stated to him. I also turned to Rose, “Also rose, don’t start bickering over every word that Armin spouts, didn’t you say you were all grown up now!?”
To that, Armin got annoyed once again,
“Hey! I should make this clear, I am grown up too! I am a minute older than Rose. I also am not stupid, you see ~”, he kept on rambling. But I ignored him.
“What’s so good about being soldier, anyway?!”, Rose said with a saddened face.
To her question, I remained silent.
But Armin replied with his demeanor,
“You don’t even know that?”, he said cockily, “Rose if you become a soldier, you shall be able to go to battle and defeat our enemies, who are threatening the world's peace. I shall become a soldier and cleanse the lands with such evil people and proclaim peace, once for all. I shall become a glorious hero and then-”
“Shut up! That’s just your sense of childish justice. Do you think you would be able to do as you please, once you join the military?”
“Huh? Yes, why no-”
“Wrong! You will be nothing but the military’s slave dog. The army doesn’t care about peace or warding off the evil. The soldiers are mere sacrificial pawns just to appease the kingdom’s hunger for expansion.”, Rose then looked at me, “Soldier’s will always be treated as military's slave dog and in the end they die like a dog!”
I saw that Rose’s eye had moistened up, she would cry any second.
I guess Rose wasn’t happy about my decision of being a soldier. She had stated her displeasure when I had announced to them about my decision on enrolling the army. However, I still went along with my decision, anyway.
I got up from my seat and sat beside Rose. She wiped her eyes as she tried to hide her tears that were swelled up in her eyes.
I patted her head, and stroked her head gently,
“Listen up, Rose! You don’t need to worry about me, I’ll be fine. The country is at peace, and it’s not like I shall be sent to battlefield right away. I am just a newbie foot soldier that will be tasked to patrol around town and guard some small time merchants. It’s a very simple and easy job! So no need to worry, trust me!”
I tried to ease Rose’s discomfort. I guess being worried was to be expected. If something were to happen to me then Rose and Armin would be all alone in this world. Rose might even able to survive, but Armin would perish under a horse carriage while just like simply crossing the road.
Rose embraced me. It seems she was really distressed about my joining the army. I am actually happy that she was so worried about me but it also irritates that she thinks I would easily get killed. Does she doubt my skills?
“You don’t need to worry, unlike a certain idiot. I won’t at least die while blindly charging at the enemy~ Fufufu-”, I added as I glanced at Armin.
Armin was dumbfounded and didn’t understand a single word we said.
“Hey! Are you making fun of me again?!”, he asked.
“No, we are just stating facts.”, Rose replied back with a giggle.
A smile appeared in her face.
I laughed along with her.
Armin was a bit annoyed,
“Hey! Big bro, you too! I hate both of you! I will show you that one day,~”, He once again started to spout nonsense.
After breakfast, I dropped them in their respective school and I returned back. I quickly took a shower then left for the garrison where I was to be stationed.
- to be continued
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