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“Stupid,” Akira mutters under his breath, though his hands are very gentle as he checks the boy’s footing. “Look where you are standing.”
The boy looks up.
“Luca?” I say.
He straightens his posture and carefully tucks his paper parcel back under his arm.
Marco’s little brother.
I’ve only seen him twice.
He doesn’t speak. He can’t.
“Are you okay?” I ask, stepping into his line of sight so he can see my mouth.
Luca nods once. His hands rise between us, his fingers moving.
“I am fine,” he signs. “Not hurt.”
Then he turns his full attention to Akira and Yuma.
His hands lift again, forming the polite movements of gratitude: “Thank you. You were very fast.”
Akira watches the moving fingers with a blank face, but he doesn’t drop his guard. “Is he thanking me?”
“He is,” I confirm.
Yuma steps around my side, offering Luca a huge, relieved grin. “You almost got squished! Akira grabbed you like a ninja! Are your ribs okay?”
Luca looks at Yuma’s wide smile and offers a small curve of his lips in return. He signs: “Ribs are fine. Good grip.”
This thing leaves a weird taste on the back of my tongue. Alexei keeps Marco guarded like the crown jewels, but clearly the perimeter around the rest of the family has holes big enough to drive a Dodge through, because I’m pretty sure that car intentionally wanted to run him over.
“You should be more careful,” I tell Luca, keeping my tone firm.
Luca’s hazel eyes hold mine. He signs: “I know. I dropped my receipt.”
“Your receipt almost cost you both of your legs.”
Luca tilts his head, an expression of dry, understated amusement crossing his features.
“Where are you headed?” I ask. “Should I drive you home?”
Luca shakes his head. “No need. My dad will pick me up.”
He steps back, gives Akira a respectful little nod, bows slightly to Yuma and me, and turns on his heel.
We watch him until he clears the next corner and disappears into the crowd.
“Who was that?” Akira asks.
“Luca,” I say, resting a hand on Akira’s shoulder and steering both boys back along the pedestrian walkway. “Marco’s younger brother.”
Akira looks up at me through his bangs. “Rei’s friend’s brother?”
“Yes.”
Yuma sighs. “He should be more careful. He is so prettyyyy. It would be a shame if he died.”
