"Life... Is a curse we celebrate, and death is the mercy we mourn to," I once heard those words... Somewhere, a long time ago, so long ago that I can't even remember which is kinda funny as I'm turning just 16 today.
Yes, today... However, I was in no mood to celebrate, just yet that is.
Why? it's because there were some other matters, some other much more important matters which I needs to attend.
"You look good in black," said the person beside me as I chuckled, trying to appear normal but it still sounded filled with grief and sadness.
"Let's go," I said as I walked towards the door, the metallic automated door, which opened on it's on when I stepped near it and closed itself when I walked out.
Outside, two little kids were waiting there, as they turned to look at me when I walked out.
They were a boy and a girl, both having blonde hair and blue eyes, just like our mother, while I had black hair and eye just like our father.
They are my little siblings, Rin and Lala, both 9 year old, and twins with both being 7 years younger than me.
Rin being the big brother among the two and is a few hours older than Lala, who is youngest among us all.
"You both look excellent," I said to them with a smile as I patted them on thier heard while they shifted a bit uncomfortably under my touch, trying thier best not to push me away.
'They hate you,' The voice in my head said, taunting me, and telling me a truth I was already aware of as I just signed listening to it and shook my head, 'I know,' I said, as a smile appeared on my face.
After all, it would be weird if they didn't ended up hating me what I did, after the kind of environment we all grow up in.
Kids are innocent creatures, it's easy to mold them in any way to want them to, easy to manipulate thier thoughts and emotions... Easy enough to make them hate someone.
"But, so be it," I said that aloud, as if trying to convince myself.
After all, so what if they hate me? Detest me? All that matters to me is that I love them and that's enough of a reason for me to be with them, after all, they are my siblings and I...
I am thier big brother... It is my duty to keep them safe in this world now that thier parents ain't here anymore.
"Let's go," I said out aloud again, this time to both of them as I checked the time through my E-watch, "It's almost time for our parent's funeral. We can't be late for that now, can we?" I said with a weird smile and a chuckle.
That's right, today is a special day, it is the funeral... the funeral of thier parents, of my parents... Of Our Parents.
.
.
.
The atmosphere, it wasn't what one would expect at a funeral, there was no gloomy atmosphere usually seen in movies, no dark clouds in the sky pouring rain, no violin playing in the background filling the air with grief and any other such dark themed scenes...
Mostly because it's what I intend for it to be. I wanted the funeral to be warm, sunny and fun so it's like this, that's just how funerals are like these days, you can execute them however you like though they are hella costly.
The funeral however indeed looked like some kind of cheerful garden party or some mates get together after a long time.
Tables were lined up beneath the warm of the afternoon sun, under the clear blue sky filled with birds and clouds with people were laughing, talking, eating food as though they were at a wedding instead of a funeral.
The atmosphere was, noble like, too picture perfect to be true, which it's not as I know that it's all fake, from the sky, ground to even these people.
The scent of roasted meat, sweets, and brewed tea filled the air, intertwining oddly with the scent of fresh cut grass and blooming flowers.
People mostly gathered at good counters as it's only at funeral house that everyone get to eat these delicies.
Children were play tag between fake gravestones, playing around with flowers and memorial stones as if death was just another excuse to celebrate life... Partially what have become of this world over the last century and half.
As for me? I sat on a wooden bench, slightly tilted due to uneven ground, beneath the shade of an old tree at the far edge of the cemetery, alone as I watch it all from a distance with a sigh.
A plate of food had been left on the bench beside me... However it remains untouched, yet.
"Joyful, isn't it?" said a man walking by, lifting his glass in a casual toast. "Your parents would've liked this." he said as he sat beside me, he was uncle John, also my father's supposed bestfriend.
I didn't answer him. Just gave a nod and turned my gaze back to the crowd and then at the centre, where a group of workers finished digging up the graves as they settled my parents body in them.
No one paid any special attention to it tho, except for Rin and Lala, who were being held by the same workers, they are efficient I give them that.
Occasionally, a person or two walked towards them and offered them candy and condolences but they barely registered that.
I sighed and kept looking, as they finished setting up the stones.
The gravestones looked new, and polished, but they probably weren't, my parents names written on them in silver letters:
"In Loving Memory of Arlen and Serah, beloved by many, mourned by few."
I let that irony sink in.
Because the truth was, people didn't come to mourn.
They came to network.
To eat.
To pretend they cared.
This wasn't grief. This was a stage, and everyone here was an actor in bright clothes and plastic smiles.
I closed my eyes and leaned back.
"Happy birthday, Aura." I muttered, just loud enough for no one to hear except me.
Then came that voice again. Whispering in my mind like it always do, "You don't belong here." It said in my mind as I smirked without opening my eyes.
"I know," I said back to in my mind, "and neither do they." I said looking at each and everyone here... That's right.
I didn't come to mourn either for my parents death.
I came to watch the masks that can fall one day, how these people changes.
Because they would.
They always do.
Oh, and I came here to celebrate too, after all, it's my birthday, they best one as far as I could remember over the last decade, if I have to say so.
After all, I might be the happiest person on earth right now, because the one who killed my parents, was Me.