1 He was made for my little brother; nothing more.---Kara

It was one summer afternoon when a boy came into our house brought by a black car from a facility far from the city. They came out from the car with the summer breeze on his back as if telling us a new start in our hard times. We greeted them in front of our house with a not-so-warm welcome. I did not understand fully what was happening back then, but one thing is for sure, this kid looks like my brother and he'll be my brother from now on.

He wore a sailor outfit and wary of the people around him. He clung to his driver's hem and hid behind the guy's leg as they walk towards our gate. He's about 6 years old around 2 and a half feet tall; pure and innocent. His curly brown hair is messed with by the wind. You can feel the kind aura radiating from the kid; he was filled with sun.

"They're your new family now." Said the guy and brought him in front to introduce himself. "Say hi to them…"

The boy reluctantly stepped forward and looked us in the eye.

"Hi.." he said with a wary smile. He hid his hands behind and stood properly.

"Hello." I smiled back. I took his hand and he smiled. "I'm Kara. What's your name?" I asked.

He was about to say something when mom said strictly "He doesn't need a name." Her eyes glared at the child. "Let's just get in, shall we?"

The boy froze and I guess he held his breath to make sure he doesn't make a sound. I haven't seen mom act that way especially with kids his age. He's just like my younger brother so why act like that? I wonder.

"C'mon, let's get inside." My dad said softly while holding the child's other hand as we went inside the house. "Starting today, this will be your home." dad said.

My little brother, Kyle, sat on the couch, carelessly eating his popcorn while watching TV. Mom hurried to his side and scolded him for doing so.

"I told you not to overeat this stuff, Kyle." My mom said madly. "You don't listen to what I said nowadays. Do you want to go back to the hospital, huh, Kyle?"

"It's not that many mom…" Kyle argued. He pulled the bowl away from mom. "It's snack.."

"It's not good for your health. A No is a no." My mom got the bowl and spilled some popcorn on the floor. "You've got to listen to me."

Kyle ignored her and fixed his eyes on the innocent child.

"Who's that kid?" he asked.

"No one. He'll start living with us now." Mom replied. She brushed the popcorn off the couch.

"Ehh, but why?" my brat brother complained.

"Complicated stuff…" Mom shunned him. "Anyway.." she went to the cabinet behind the couch and opened it.

She cleared the compartments and placed a blanket and a pillow at the lowest side. She looked at the new kid and said,

"This will be your room from now on."

The kid nodded but I know he trembled in fear. He hadn't said a word since he arrived.

Dad didn't say a word as well. He let my mother do all the decisions.

...

Days passed by and my mom never treated him fairly. She cared for him since she needed him but she always thought of him as a tool and not as a person. She wakes him up in a sad manner, doesn't talk nicely to him, and just calls him Kid, and much other stuff a real mom will do to her child. Though she let him call her "Mom" at least. What can I expect, he's not her own son. And, I kinda know the reason why but I cannot say a word, can I?

Our house is not that big. It was a 2-story apartment-style building with 3 rooms (for me, my parents, and my little brother). Me and my brother's room is upstairs, while mom's is near the living room. See, we can almost see each other but I wonder why we don't talk that much.

Anyway, I felt like the need to talk to the kid. He seemed pretty lonely in our lonely house every single day. Well, he's always left alone anyway when my parents go to work and us go to school. My dad works at a laboratory outside the city and he rarely comes home every week. I and my little brother go to school on weekdays and has things to do on weekends as well so we rarely have much time to talk to each other. And mom, she also has things to do. He just spends his time watching TV almost every day or cramped in his own room.

One day, my mom prepared for the birthday party of my little brother. She cleared the kitchen and the living room and decorated it since Kyle's friends will come over and celebrate. Since he's not that welcome, mom brought him into my room and told him not to make a mess.

"You stay here and keep quiet. Understood?!" Mom warned.

"Hai." He replied and obeyed what he's been told.

The party began. He heard the laughter downstairs and slowly went to see a peek from upstairs. He saw the happy faces of the guests as they talk about things, even though mom is so happy, the gifts on the floor and the food on the table made him want to be with the celebration. But he was told not to make an appearance so he went back inside my room.

"Poor kid.." I do felt bad for him. But, for no reason, I only watched him pity himself and left him be.

When most of the guests already went off, I brought him a plate of spaghetti.

"You up?" I asked and opened the lights. "Why didn't you even turned the lights on?" I saw him sitting on the floor beside my bed looking up at the sky from my window.

"I just thought it would be a waste.." Kid replied.

"What's that about?" I laughed softly and sat beside him. "Here, it's delicious. I kinda helped in making it so, tell me what do you think about it." I handed him the plate.

"Thanks.." he replied slowly.

He stared at the plate and fell silent.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Ne, how does it feel to have a birthday party?" he asked with pure curiosity.

I didn't see his eyes but I know it's brimming with confusion. I was caught off guard. I don't know what exactly to say to his question. I mean, what's that question anyway? Hasn't he—Oh.

"Ahh." I muttered. I know I don't have to hurt his feelings, he's just 6 or 7 years old. How can I make him understand?

I paused for a while to find the words and said, "Well, it's fun, you know? When it's my 13th…I mean, you've got to eat good food with your friends and receive gifts, and more importantly, there's a cake."

"A cake?" he looked at me and asked with a more curious eye. "Is that the fluffy white stuff downstairs?"

"Yeah.." I bragged. "A yummy fluffy cake that melts in your mouth and—"

"That's great. Cake and gifts.." he twirled the spag with his fork and fed himself, munching fast. "Ne, do clones have birthdays as well?"

Again, I was caught off guard. I didn't know it would lead in this conversation. Now I feel cold on my feet.

"That—" I don't want to crush his hopes. So, I took a deep sigh and thought to myself I have to see this through. I'm an older sister, right? I'm already 14.

"Well, birthdays are celebrated the day you were born. In your case—" I was quite aback to continue but his eyes sparkle with the thought so I really have to see this through.

"When I—" my voice shuddered so I looked away. Then, I saw what he's been staring at—a pretty moon that shines in a clear bright night sky. "When I will be able to bake a cake at school," I said. "I will bring it home and we will celebrate your birthday. No matter what date is that we'll make that your birthday. If I still have enough money, I guess I can bring you a present." I felt the chills in my cheek.

His eyes were filled with glee. I never promised but his hopes were already set.

"Cake is fine.." he replied. "You will eat it with me, right?" he said with a hopeful smile.

"Of course, I baked that cake—" he giggled but I left him be.

"Thanks, Kara.." he said then he smiled.

It was the first time I ever saw him smile since the day he came 6 months ago.

"Well, that might not be so soon because we're still learning it at school, but don't expect it to be that delicious, okay?" I warned.

"Uhm.." he nodded and continued eating. "But you'll do it fine. The spag is delicious."

Mom finished downstairs and the kid was sent back to his bed. I washed and dumped myself in my bed and tried to sleep, but I can't.

"Why am I not sleepy?" I kicked and rolled in my bed. "Have I overeaten? Drunk too much soft drinks? Or maybe, because of our conversation?" I sighed.

"What will I do?" I rolled again to the side. I turned my phone on, trying to tire my eyes, and landed at my grandfather's press conference video at a social media site. "This was the time they announced it 6 years ago…and look how many views it has now," I mumbled.

>>>Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to the new era of genetic science. We at the North Fire General Laboratory had succeeded in creating a human in a test tube. This is not the same with In-Vitro fertilization because we're to take care of it in our Machine, the XMC-500.

"This video made my grand-dad famous...huh" I muttered

>>>We took a call from a fetus that is naturally made in a body and is taken care of by my own daughter and was raised in an artificial environment. This machine is the next stage of our solution to make organ donors for transplant readily accessible. Of course, it will cause money but still, it will save the most precious thing we had, OUR LIFE. So, everyone, I present to you the XMC-500!!!

"And the people clapped and the video ended. Huh.." I sighed. "I'm proud of him because of that. Grandy has achieved a lot of stuff. I want to be like him." I dropped my phone and stared at the ceiling again.

He was made from my brother's cell, born from a test tube, in other words, he's just a clone. A clone for organ transplant since my brother was born with a weak body. The doctors said it was because my mom got sick when she's conceiving him. Some of his organs need a transplant when the time is right or complications may arise and cost him badly. So, why am I that attached to him? Can't I just ignore his—" I rolled again and stare at my ceiling. "No I can't…ahhhh…"

"Anyway, there is nothing wrong about it. Genetically, he's part of my brother and that's it. I just have to be nice as always. So please brain, let me sleep now..." I covered my head with my pillow and the next thing I know, it's already morning.