Our Differences, Part 4

"—pleased to announce the entrance exams for Artemis are finally over! Many people had tried their luck to see if they had what it took to become a hunter—"

Then the screen went dark. Connor was the one holding the remote. He didn't like watching the news, and neither did I. He was probably bored by them, and I found it irritating that a lot of the information they provided was heavily filtered.

Although I loathed the nonsense reporters would spew from time to time about how wonderful hunters are (although they aren't), I frequently watched the news, trying to discern the truth from the whatnots.

"You know it's turned off, right?" probed Reyna, jolting me back to reality.

We found ourselves in a gloomy atmosphere after a few minutes of laughing at Connor's expense. Reyna reached for her tablet several times before putting it down. Connor, too, fidgeted with his phone, doing nothing in particular. Perhaps it was the weather outside, but all we could do was wait until we arrived at our destination.

As for me, I just stared out the window while listening half-heartedly to whatever was on the screen. It wasn't particularly interesting, but I'm not the type to pass the time by playing on my phone.

"Ben," called Connor, tapping his knuckles against the dark window behind. It gradually came down after Reyna pressed a button, revealing the elderly gentleman behind the wheel. "For how much longer do we have to wait until we arrive? I'm dying of boredom here, and I'm also starving!"

I wondered whether now it would be the time to thank him for the ride...

"Ignore him, Ben," said Reyna. "He's just throwing a tantrum because he's bored. There's no need for you to be in a rush. Feel free to take a detour if you want."

"Don't you dare keep me in this pit of misery any longer! I swear I'm going to jump out of this car if it takes too long. Oi, Gray? Aren't you bored here as well? Gimme a hand here."

"But I don't want to help you," I told him. "We're going to have a competition soon. Why should I?"

I'm not going to stop him if he stumbles as a result of his tantrum. The contest started the moment you mentioned it to me, Connor. A single point can make all the difference.

Seeing all of that reflected in the mirror, Ben's wrinkles pulled into a faint smile. "I'm sorry to ruin your fun, but we have arrived. I'll grab the door for you in a bit."

"It's fine, Ben," Connor answered, hopping out of the vehicle as soon as it came to a halt. "And thanks for the drive!"

"We're sorry for bothering you, Ben," added Reyna.

We would have been fighting with the other examinees to get a cab if he hadn't come to take us. However, in densely populated areas, that wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"Thank you," I said too, reluctantly.

I liked being with Connor and Reyna, but I've always avoided anything related to their guild. It was uncomfortable.

"No problems," he replied. "It was my pleasure to be your chauffeur for the day, Grayson."

"Just call me Gray..."

No one called me Grayson, so having Ben address me that way felt strange.

"So you can be nice to other people, hmm?" Connor snorted, surprised to hear how I was talking.

Due to the wide variety of jobs I've had, I realized I needed to be mindful of my language at all times. That, however, wasn't something I did in front of the siblings. "I'm polite to others," I admitted. "Not to you."

"How about you stop bickering and get moving already?" Reyna asked, adjusting her glasses. "No, do whatever you want. I'm not going to get soaked waiting for you in the rain."

Connor stretched his arms and enjoyed the cool breeze. "Why don't you stick around and have some fun for a change? You don't get to enjoy something like this while you're cooped inside! Maybe if you got out more often, you wouldn't be so pale," Connor yelled so with a grin. "And what's the point of wearing your glasses now?"

"I can feel the same way if I take a cold shower!" Reyna growled back, tucking her tablet beneath her coat. Although most devices were waterproof, she'd rather avoid taking any risks. "And these lenses are water repellent!"

"You'll still have to wipe them clean afterward!"

"Just shut up," she said as she stamped her foot down, then ran for safety.

Connor hung one arm by his side and rested the other on his hip. There weren't many occasions when he could triumph over his sister. That only amplified the sweet taste of victory.

"A question if I may," I asked, interrupting his moment.

"You may," he permitted me to speak.

"What became of the logo? I thought your name was emblazoned on the building."

I never had the opportunity to visit the Blake Guild very often, but I was confident that if I looked it up online, I'd be able to find an image. I remember seeing it in person when I was younger.

"Father got rid of it because he thought it was too corny."

His father, and the chairman of one of the most influential guilds in the city, thought their family name was too cheesy... There are all kinds of people in this world.

"Perhaps we should go inside as well," Connor said, feeling something was awry. "There's no reason to stick in the rain any longer, is there?"

I just nodded, giving him a half-hearted response, "Sure."

I followed Connor, unable to take my gaze away from the scenery in front of me. All I could do was stare in awe as my gaze traveled from the ground to the skyscraper's very pinnacle, cutting through the clouds. Despite having such a captivating image in front of me, my innards were all tangled up.

It only reminded me of the differences between us.