From Best Friend to Boyfriend (Hetaila, HongIce)

Chapter 24. Help from the BTT

"Guys I'm not that fat am I?" Michelle asked, gripping the small belly she had at the bottom of her stomach. The girl stared at the mirror in front of her while her brother and his friends sat behind her, wine glass in Francis' hand as Antonio and Gilbert shared a photo album.

"Dearie, that's not fat, you see that small stomach you have there? That's where your organs are, that's protecting you so you don't die. Don't worry about it; it's just your body doing its job." Francis reassured as he took a sip of his drink. The girl pouted then sat beside her older brother. The two were currently having a bonding session, where Francis would drink wine while Michelle would gossip about all the things going down. Of course, this session had two special guests.  Both Gilbert and Antonio went  through the old pictures. The dates and locations scribbled on the back with a permanent marker, while the people in the picture were almost unrecognisable.

"Oh wow remember this. Look how cute Lovi is." Antonio commented, showing Francis a picture of Lovino and Feliciano in small dresses. Those peaceful times, they realise that they were making memories of a world that once was back then, all they knew was that they were having fun in the hazy summers heat.

This town was an odd one in Michelle's mind. Most of the children here seemingly appeared from nowhere, and while adults were seen Michelle hadn't recalled being raised by any. She always had Francis and that was it. Whenever she had questioned where her parents were she never got a definite answer, mostly because no one knew who her parents were.

"Isn't it weird how many orphans live in this town?" Michelle questioned, causing Antonio, Gilbert and Francis to look away awkwardly.

"It is isn't it?" Gilbert agreed, the albino flicked through the pages. The fact that she was correct about that statement was worrying. In the past when he had asked his father, Vati, where his mother was the reply would be the same old 'I don't know.'

The photos seemed to go in order, until a certain page where they stop completely for a few years before starting again. Those few years came with the gang wars that had accompanied the town. Struggles for dominance over different areas had plagued the local children and their guardians. Children were taken as ransom. Some never returning from their homes, some changing forever and some growing to resent the family they had been stolen from. Michelle was lucky that she was practically shielded from it all, however, she knew that Leon wasn't.

The disputes had continued for a while before the children began to revolt, the small children becoming rebellious teenagers. The gang leaders couldn't even control them; and once Arthur was down, the rest of the gang leaders came toppling after him. Francis, Gilbert and Antonio were all apart of a gang too, oddly enough.

For some reason she couldn't seem but get the idea of Leon crying from last night out of her head. "Hey you three are pretty good at relationships right?" She asked them, earning a scoff from Gilbert. "As good as it gets."

"What is it that you need chica?" Antonio inquired, the male observing the adorable pictures that Francis had taken in the past.

"You don't have a boyfriend do you? I don't want you getting pregnant now. You have to use protection. I know I went over this with Matthew but I can't remember if I did with you."

"You did..."

"Good."

"Anyway. This advice isn't for me. It's about the ship... You know the reason I brought you all here."